[00:00:03]
GOOD EVENING.[1. Call to Order of the Edmond City Council Meeting.]
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A THIRD SHOT AT GETTING THIS NEW ORDER IN PLACE.SO BEAR WITH US AS WE FIGURE ALL THIS OUT.
[2. Citizen Comments. This is an opportunity for residents and non-residents to address the City Council on city-related matters not on the agenda or scheduled for a public hearing. Citizens must sign up to speak either online by 3:00 p.m. the day of the City Council meeting, or in person by the start of the meeting. All remarks must be directed to the Mayor or Chair of the meeting, are limited to three minutes or less, and must otherwise be made in accordance with the City Council / Public Works Authority rules, available here and in the City Hall lobby. Please note that members of the City Council cannot respond to issues brought up in Citizen Comments if they are not on the agenda, in accordance with state law.]
TWO ON OUR AGENDA IS CITIZENS COMMENTS AND WE HAVE TWO RESIDENTS, ACTUALLY ONE NON-RESIDENT AND A RESIDENT WHO HAVE SIGNED UP THIS EVENING.IS DAN VOGEL PRESENT? I DO NOT SEE HIM.
TAYLOR WILSON, WHEN YOU COME TO THE PODIUM, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, WILSON 7 4 8 DUNE CIRCLE, EDMOND, OKLAHOMA.
I WILL BRIEF IN MY THREE MINUTE SPEECH REAL QUICK.
RELATIVE TO THE BUDGET TWO WEEKS AGO, SALES TAX, IN MY OPINION, BASED ON THE DATE I'VE SEEN, IS GETTING BETTER, STARTING TO SIGNIFICANTLY GET BETTER.
THAT'S VERY ENCOURAGING BASED ON THE DATA I'M SEEING.
SECOND THING IS IN THE BUDGET AS YOU'RE WORKING THROUGH IT, I WOULD JUST BE CAUTIOUS ON TAKING THINGS OUT OF A, OF CAPITAL BALANCES AND SHIFTING THEM AROUND TO MAKE THE BUDGET WORK AS OPPOSED TO TRULY, UM, DOING WHAT'S NECESSARY BUDGET WISE WITHIN THE INCOME THAT'S COMING.
SPECIFICALLY LAST YEAR, UM, OKLAHOMA CITY WAS ABLE TO CUT TWO AND A HALF PERCENT ON THEIR BUDGET.
WE, IN EDMOND, WERE NOT ABLE TO DO 'CAUSE IT WAS THE WORLD WAS GONNA END IF WE HAD TO DO ANY RESTRICTION RELATIVE TO COST.
UM, AND I KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO ZERO, SO I JUST WOULD CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THAT.
THE $4 MILLION LOSS, BOTH FOR FIRE AND POLICE IS A STRUCTURAL ISSUE THAT REGARDLESS OF SALES TAX CHANGING IS GONNA BE THERE.
WE SPOKE ABOUT THE FIRE LAST YEAR AT THE BUDGET PROCESS, SO I WOULD JUST CAUTION AND APPRECIATE, UM, THE DISCUSSION IN THE BUDGET MEETING PREVIOUS TO THIS, RELATIVE TO LOOKING AT THAT STRUCTURALLY HOW IT'S GONNA GET FIXED.
THE PERSONNEL BUDGET OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT YOU'VE LOOKED AT UP TO DATE DOESN'T INCLUDE THE FULL, ALL THE PERSONNEL.
THE LARGEST PORTION OF THAT PERSONNEL IS FIRE AND POLICE ARE NOT IN THOSE NUMBERS YET.
SO I WOULD JUST CAUTION RELATIVE TO LOCKING DOWN TOO, TOO FAR ON THAT.
AND THEN LASTLY, RELATIVE TO WATER.
AS YOU LOOK AT STRATEGIES FOR WATER, LOOK AT LOGAN COUNTY STRATEGY.
WHAT IS THE STRATEGY FOR THAT SOLUTION? EITHER IMPACT FEES OR WHATEVER RELATIVE TO LOGAN COUNTY, IF THAT BECOMES A REVENUE SOURCE TO MITIGATE SOME OF THE COST RELATIVE TO THE WATER RATE.
[A. Presentation of a Proclamation Recognizing March 23-28, 2026 as Arbor Week in the City of Edmond.]
THREE, PRESENTATIONS THREE A IS A PRESENTATION OF A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING MARCH 23RD THROUGH THE 28TH, 2026 AS ARBOR WEEK AND THE CITY OF EDMOND.WHEREAS ARBOR WEEK IS AN IMPORTANT TRADITION IN EDMOND, WHICH RECOGNIZES THE VALUE OF OUR LOCAL TREE AND FOREST RESOURCES AND BENEFITS THEY PROVIDE TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND WHEREAS THE VALUES OF THE EDMOND COMMUNITY AND EFFORTS BY THE URBAN FORESTRY COMMISSION AND THE CITY OF EDMOND HAVE RESULTED IN A FAVORABLE URBAN TREE CANOPY COVERAGE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND WHEREAS EDMOND CITY COUNCIL HAS PROMOTED IMPLEMENTATION AND CONTINUATION OF POLICIES AND PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT TREE CANOPY FOR OVER 25 YEARS.
AND WHEREAS CONTINUING WITH ACTIVE URBAN FORESTRY PROGRAMS WILL PROMOTE, PRESERVE, AND ENHANCE TREE CANOPY IN EDMOND FOR GENERATIONS TO COME, PROVIDING ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIAL HEALTH AESTHETIC AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO EDMUND RESIDENTS.
NOW THEREFORE, I MARQUE NASH MAYOR DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH 23RD THROUGH THE 28TH, 2026 AS ARBOR WEEK IN THE CITY OF EDMOND.
I'M ON THE URBAN FORESTRY COMMISSION REPRESENTING THAT FINE GROUP AND ACCEPTING THE PROCLAMATION THIS YEAR.
AND I WANNA THANK THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THIS INVALUABLE PROGRAM FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK THE CITIZENS REALLY, THEY MAY NOT SAY SO, BUT THEY VALUE THE TREES AND THE CANOPY THAT HAVE PROVIDED IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THAT'S WHY A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE IT AND MOVE HERE.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, OF COURSE, IS KICKING OFF ARBOR WEEK THIS WEEK.
WE'RE DOING A TREE PLANTING ON SATURDAY.
Y'ALL ARE WELCOME TO COME OUT AND JOIN US IN MITCH PARK.
AND AS ROMAN STATESMAN CICERO IS QUOTED TO HAVE SAID HE PLANTS TREES TO BENEFIT ANOTHER GENERATION.
SO MANY OF THE TREES AND THE BENEFITS WE ENJOY TODAY WERE PLANTED BY OUR FOREFATHERS.
[00:05:01]
AND ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE PLANTING TREES ON SATURDAY IS TO BENEFIT AND PROVIDE THE GOOD ONES GOODIES TO THE LITTLE KIDS THAT ARE HERE.'CAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT'LL BENEFIT MOST FROM THOSE.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR ARBOR DAY AND FOR THE PROGRAM AS A WHOLE.
[B. Presentation of Tree City USA, Tree Line USA, and Tree Campus Recognitions by Riley Coy, Urban and Community Forestry Coordinator with Oklahoma Forestry Services.]
B IS A PRESENTATION OF TREE CITY USA TREE, LINE USA AND TREAT CAMPUS RECOGNITION BY RILEY COY URBAN AND COMMUNITY FOREST COORDINATOR WITH OKLAHOMA FORESTRY SERVICES.HELLO, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING ME HERE TODAY.
I'M THE URBAN AND FORESTRY, UH, COORDINATOR FOR THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA WITH OKLAHOMA FORESTRY SERVICES.
UM, TODAY WE KICK OFF ARBOR WEEK IN BOTH THE CITY OF EDMOND AND THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.
THEY BOTH HAPPEN TO HAVE THE SAME ARBOR WEEK THIS YEAR, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
UM, THERE'LL BE LOTS OF MANY GREAT EVENTS THROUGHOUT EDMOND IN THE COMING DAYS, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE ALL THE FESTIVITIES.
I'LL BE AT A COUPLE OF THEM HERE.
JAY STERLING MORTON, A NEBRASKA JOURNALIST AND POLITICIAN FOUNDED ARBOR DAY TO PROMOTE TREE PLANTING ON THE TREELESS GREAT PLAINS.
THE FIRST ARBOR DAY WAS CELEBRATED ON APRIL 10TH, 1872 AND NEBRASKA CITY RESULTING IN OVER 1 MILLION TREES PLANTED.
IT BECAME AN ANNUAL NATIONWIDE HOLIDAY DEDICATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
IN 1901, OKLAHOMA CELEBRATED ITS FIRST HARBOR DAY, SIX YEARS BEFORE STATEHOOD.
OKLAHOMA, HOWEVER, WASN'T SATISFIED WITH HAVING ONLY ONE DAY TO CELEBRATE TREES AND EVERYTHING THEY DO FOR US.
SO IN 1982, OKLAHOMA DECLARED THAT IT WOULD OBSERVE A WHOLE ARBOR WEEK EVERY YEAR.
IT WILL ALWAYS BE THE LAST FULL WEEK.
IN MARCH IN 1999, THE CITY OF EDMOND CREATED THE EDMOND FORESTRY COMMISSION.
THAT YEAR WAS ALSO THE FIRST YEAR EDMOND EARNED THE TREE CITY USA RECOGNITION FROM THE ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION.
OH, PLACING EDMOND AMONG THE, THE FEW COMMUNITIES IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY THAT HAVE EARNED THAT RECOGNITION.
27 YEARS OF LEADING THE STATE IN COMMUNITY TREE CARE.
ONE YEAR LATER IN 2000, EDMOND ELECTRIC DECIDED TO EARN THEIR TREE LINE USA RECOGNITION, MAKING THEM THE THIRD UTILITY COMPANY IN THE STATE TO HAVE THAT RECOGNITION.
NOW IN 2026, WE HAVE TWO NEW EDMOND COMMUNITIES JOINING THE PROGRAM.
UCO JUST EARNED ITS FIRST TREE CAMPUS HIGHER EDUCATION RECOGNITION FROM THE ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION.
AND THE IGA FREEMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL JUST EARNED THEIR FIRST TREE CAMPUS K THROUGH 12 RECOGNITION.
AND I THINK IDA FREEMAN IS THE THIRD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE ENTIRE STATE TO GET THAT DESIGNATION.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LEADING THE CHARGE.
THAT'S A BRAND NEW DESIGNATION THAT'S ONLY TWO YEARS OLD.
NO OKLAHOMA COMMUNITY HAS MORE RECOGNIZED INSTITUTION WITHIN, WITHIN ITS BOUNDARIES MARKING EDMOND AS THE LEADER IN THE STATE FOR COMMUNITY TREE CARE.
TO DEMONSTRATE THAT LAST FACT FURTHER, EDMOND ALSO RECEIVED THE GROWTH AWARD FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW BY GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND WITH THEIR COMMUNITY TREE CARE.
THIS YEAR THEY HAVE USED THE 2024 PARK TREE INVENTORY DATA TO HELP CREATE THE EDMUND PARK TREE INVENTORY AND STRATEGY REPORT.
THIS REPORT WILL ALLOW THE CITY TO PRIORITIZE AND STRATEGIZE THEIR TREE CARE, ALLOWING FOR A MORE RESILIENT URBAN TREE CANOPY WHILE FURTHER STRETCHING THEIR TREE CARE BUDGET.
THEY ALSO STARTED THE EDMUND LEGACY TREES PROGRAM WHERE THEY HIGHLIGHT SIGNIFICANT TREES BECAUSE OF THEIR SIZE, AGE, CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OR HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE ACROSS THE COMMUNITY.
IN ADDITION TO ALL THIS, EDMOND HAS ALSO STARTED A NEW EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM CALLED THE EDMOND RELIEF, THE EDMOND RELIEF PROJECT TO EXPAND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND FOSTER STEWARDSHIP WITHIN COMMUNITIES, SPECIFICALLY TARGETING EDMOND'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SO YEAH, THEY'RE PRETTY BUSY AT THE MOMENT.
SO NOW IF THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL APPROVE, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE CITY OF EDMOND EDMOND URBAN FORESTRY, EDMOND ELECTRIC, THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA, AND IGA FREEMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS IN COMMUNITY FORESTRY DEMONSTRATING THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF IMPORTANCE OF TREES AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE COMMUNITY.
WILL THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THOSE COMMUNITIES PLEASE STEP UP HERE AND GET YOUR PLAQUES HERE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.
[00:10:05]
THANK YOU SO MUCH.[C. Recognition of Best of Show Winners in the Arbor Day Art Contest.]
ITEM THREE C IS RECOGNITION OF BEST OF SHOW WINNERS IN THE ARBOR DAY ART CONTEST.OKAY, CAN YOU HEAR ME? THANK YOU MAYOR COUNSEL FOR HAVING US HERE TO HOST THE, UM, KICKOFF OF ARBOR WEEK CELEBRATION.
UM, AS RILEY MENTIONED AND HER MENTIONED, WE HAVE QUITE A FEW EVENTS HAPPENING THIS WEEK TO CELEBRATE IF ANY BENEFITS THAT TRUTH PROVIDE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THOSE AT OUR WEBSITE@EDMONDOKAY.GOV SLASH HARBOR WEEK.
WE DO HAVE A SKETCH AND STROLL NATURE DRAWING CLASS HAPPENING TOMORROW.
THERE'S A HIKE OUT AT THE SPRING CREEK JAIL ON FRIDAY.
AND THEN OF COURSE, OUR ANNUAL A DAY TREE PLANTING THIS SATURDAY AT THE SENIOR CENTER STARTING AT 10:00 AM.
SO, UM, HOPE Y'ALL ARE ABLE TO JOIN US FOR THAT.
UM, MONDAY TONIGHT WE ARE HERE TO RECOGNIZE, UM, STUDENTS THAT HAVE PLACED IN THE ARBOR DAY ART CONTEST, WHICH IS ONE OF THE LONGEST STANDING TRADITIONS OF OUR ARBOR WEEK CELEBRATION.
UM, STUDENTS, FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS IN EDMOND SCHOOLS, UM, CREATE ARTWORKS RIGHT AT THE TREES IN OUR TOWN.
AND THOSE ARE, UM, JUDGMENT BY URBAN FORESTRY COMMISSION.
AND THEN WE DISPLAY THE FIRST OR THIRD PLACE AN HONORABLE MENTION, UM, FROM EACH OF THE THIS FAMOUS SCHOOLS.
THIS YEAR WE HAVE 21 SCHOOLS AND THOSE ARE ON DISPLAY AT THE ED HISTORY MUSEUM UNTIL APRIL 18TH THIS YEAR.
UM, WE'VE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE EDNA VISUAL ARTS COMMISSION FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS TO SELECT THREE BEST OF SHOW WINNERS.
SO THOSE ARE THE STUDENTS THAT ARE BEING RECOGNIZED HERE TONIGHT.
UM, BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, I DO JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SPONSORS.
THEY, UM, PROVIDED RED BLOOD TREES FOR THE FIRST PLACE, WINNERS AND CITIZENS BANK, WHO'S BEEN SPONSORING THE PROGRAM FOR OVER 15 YEARS AND ALSO PROVIDED, UM, $75 GIFT CARDS FOR EACH OF OUR WINNERS.
SO, WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ADO, I WILL CALL THE STUDENTS UP TO RECEIVE THEIR GIFT CARD AND CERTIFICATE.
AND IF YOU WOULD, UM, PLEASE JUST STAND TO THE SIDE UNTIL THE PRESENTATION'S OVER AND THEN, UM, YEAH, THEN WE'LL BE DONE.
SO OUR THIRD NICE WINNER IS NATALIE BASSETT.
NATALIE'S A STUDENT AT RUSSELL DARBY ELEMENTARY AND HER ARTWORK IS UNT TITLE.
OUR SECOND PLACE BEST OF SHOW IS GA MCNEIL FROM HOLY TRINITY LUTHERAN SCHOOL.
THAT'S OUR WORK IS TITLED ROOT RADIANCE.
AND OUR FIRST PLACE BEST OF SHOW WINNER WAS FROM, OR RISER ELEMENTARY, RASHI AND SARPA DESANI.
AND OUR WORK IS CALLED ARBOR DAY.
UM, THANK YOU TO THE ART TEACHERS WHO, UM, HAVE BEEN A GREAT PARTNER IN THIS AND WE HAVE HAD ALL OF THEM IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING FOR MANY YEARS AS WELL AS A COUPLE OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS NOW, UM, FOR EVERYONE TO COME OUT AND CELEBRATE OUR WEEK.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN, MARY, COUNSEL FOR HAVING US.
[4. Appointments and Reappointments:]
ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO NUMBER FOUR, APPOINTMENTS AND REAPPOINTMENTS.WE HAVE THREE THIS EVENING AND I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ACCEPT ALL THREE.
SO SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
CAST YOUR VOTE, MAYBE, I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE DISPLAY, BUT, UH, BY VOTE OF FIVE TO ZERO THAT MOTION PASSES.
ITEM NUMBER FIVE, CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS AS WE GO THROUGH THIS LIST THIS EVENING, IF ANYONE WISHES TO DISCUSS ANY OF THOSE ITEMS IN THE AUDIENCE, WHEN YOU COME FORWARD, PLEASE BE SURE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, DIRECT ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS TO THE MAYOR OR WHOEVER IS SITTING IN THIS SEAT AND UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S DIALOGUE THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, THAT IF YOU DRIFT OFF OF THE TOPIC, WE'RE GONNA CUT YOU OFF.
WE WANT TO FOCUS ON THESE ITEMS ON
[00:15:01]
THE AGENDA TONIGHT.[A. Case No. DD24-00007; Public Hearing and Consideration of Approval of a Lot Split for 330 W 1st Street, Located on the Southeast Corner of 1st and Walnut. (Castle Custom Homes LLC; Ward 1)]
GONNA START OUT WITH FIVE.A CASE NUMBER DD TWO FOUR DASH 0 0 0 0 7 PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF A LOT SPLIT FOR THREE 30 WEST FIRST STREET, LOCATED ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF FIRST AND WALNUT.
IS THE APPLICANT PRESENT HERE? THANK YOU MR. BRIAN.
THANK YOU KEN BRIAN, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING.
UH, THIS ITEM REQUIRES CITY COUNCIL ACTION BECAUSE IT'S LOCATED IN A PRI PLATTED RESIDENTIAL AREA.
THE SUBJECT PROPERTY FOR THIS LOT SPLIT IS APPROXIMATELY 7,000 SQUARE FEET.
THE MAP SHOWS THE LOCATION AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF FIRST AND WALNUT.
THIS APPLICATION IS TO DIVIDE THE EXISTING LOT INTO TWO LOTS IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE PLAN UNIT DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS APPROVED IN APRIL OF 2025 AT THEIR REGULAR PUBLIC HEARING ON MARCH 3RD, 2026.
PLANNING COMMISSION CONCURRED WITH STAFF AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL BY A VOTE OF FOUR TO ZERO.
WOULD THE APPLICANT LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING? IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL? SAME.
WHAT DO YOU WANNA DO? MOVE APPROVAL.
I HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND CAST YOUR VOTE I MOTION PASSES.
[B. Case No. Z25-00031; Public Hearing and Consideration of Approval of Ordinance No. 4080 Rezoning Certain Property Located at 208 E 5th Street from "A" Single Family to "B" Two-Family and Providing an Effective Date. (Tyler Burns; Ward 1)]
B CASE NUMBER Z TWO FIVE DASH 0 0 0 3 1.PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 4 0 8 0.
REZONING CERTAIN PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2 0 8 EAST FIFTH STREET FROM A SINGLE FAMILY TO B TWO FAMILY AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
IS THE APPLICANT PRESENT? YES.
KEN BRIAN, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING.
THE SUBJECT PROPERTY FOR THIS ZONING MAP AMENDMENT IS APPROXIMATELY 7,500 SQUARE FEET.
THE MAP SHOWS THE LOCATION AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF FIFTH AND BOULEVARD.
NEARBY ZONING AND USES INCLUDE TO THE NORTH, EAST AND SOUTH ARE ZONE FOUR AND DEVELOPED WITH RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES TO THE WEST.
IS ZONED FOR RESIDENTIAL USES AND IS CURRENTLY USED AS OVERFLOW PARKING FOR BUSINESSES ACROSS THE STREET TO THE WEST.
THIS APPLICATION IS FOR A BY RIGHT ZONING DISTRICT, WHICH ALLOWS RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES INCLUDING TWO FAMILY DWELLING UNITS.
THE LOT IS CURRENTLY OCCUPIED BY A DUPLEX AND THIS ZONING MAP AMENDMENT WILL ELIMINATE THE EXISTING NON-CONFORMITY.
THE EDMOND PLAN CATEGORIZES THIS AREA AS URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE REQUESTED DISTRICT IS APPROPRIATE AT THEIR REGULAR PUBLIC HEARING ON MARCH 3RD, 2026.
PLANNING COMMISSION CONCURRED WITH STAFF AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL BY A VOTE OF FIVE TO ZERO.
WOULD THE APPLICANT LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING? NO, SIR.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? COUNSEL, ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE? YES, SIR.
I'D MAKE A MOTION MR. MAYOR TO APPROVE ITEM FIVE B.
SECOND I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
[C. Case No. ES25-00006; Public Hearing and Consideration of Approval of Ordinance No. 4081 Closing an Electric Easement Generally Located at 1700 S State Street Edmond, Oklahoma County, Providing for Repealer and Severability; And Declaring an Emergency. (Mike Looney; Ward 3)]
C.CASE NUMBER ES TWO FIVE DASH 0 0 0 6 PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 4 0 81.
CLOSING ELECTRIC EASEMENT GENERALLY LOCATED AT 1700 SOUTH STATE STREET IN EDMOND, OKLAHOMA COUNTY, PROVIDING FOR REPEAL AND SEVERABILITY AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
IS THE APPLICANT PRESENT? I KNOW THIS IS JUST A CLEANUP BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY ADDRESSED THIS, THIS VERY ISSUE AT OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING, CORRECT? MR. BRIAN? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
YEAH, THIS ORDINANCE WAS APPROVED ON MARCH NINE, HOWEVER, I MADE AN ERROR WHICH RENDERED IT UNUSABLE IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE APPLICANT MOVING FORWARD IN A TIMELY MANNER.
IN ADDITION TO THE CORRECTED ORDINANCE, WE'RE REQUESTING APPROVAL OF THE EMERGENCY CLAUSE.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS? SEEING NONE, MR. MAYOR, I HAVE TWO MOTIONS.
I'D MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM FIVE C.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
MR. MAYOR, I'D MAKE A MOTION TO ATTACH THE EMERGENCY CLAUSE TO ITEM FIVE C.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
DO YOU FEEL FORTUNATE THERE MR. BRIAN THAT WE DIDN'T VOTE IT DOWN THIS TIME?
[D. Public Hearing and Consideration of Approval of Resolution No. 05-26 Supporting the City’s Application to the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Grant Program for Hafer Park Recreational Improvements. (Ward 1)]
[00:20:01]
FIVE D PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 0 5 2 6 SUPPORTING THE CITY'S APPLICATION TO THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND GRANT PROGRAM FOR HAYFORD PARK RECREATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
BRAD RAINEY, PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR.
UM, THIS IS A REQUIRED RESOLUTION TO APPLY FOR A LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND GRANT.
THIS IS A FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAM ADMINISTERED AT THE STATE LEVEL THROUGH THE, UH, TOURISM AND AND PARKS DEPARTMENT OF OF THE STATE.
UM, THIS PROJECT WOULD REPLACE THE PAVILION AT FER PARK AT AT THE POND.
THAT'S, UM, KIND OF REACHING THE END OF ITS LIFE.
UM, AND, AND IT WOULD ALSO REPLACE ONE OF THE PLAYGROUNDS AT, AT THE PARK.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT WE HAVE, HAVE AND MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
UM, YOU CAN, THERE'S CORY, YOU CAN FLIP THROUGH THIS AS AS YOU PLEASE.
THIS IS JUST FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE, BUT, UM, THIS, THIS IMPROVES THE PAVILION AND THE IMPORTANT THING IS IT ALLOWS A DA ACCESS ON, ON BOTH LEVELS OF, OF THE DECK PAVILION.
UM, THE GRANT IS A 50 50 GRANT.
WE ANTICIPATE ABOUT A $800,000 PROJECT.
THE $400,000 MATCH WOULD COME FROM THE PARK TAX FUND.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS? ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YOU HAVE ENOUGH? UH, WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT EARLIER.
RESERVES IN THE PARK TAX FUND CAN COVER THIS.
IS THAT THE PLAN? WE'RE WE'RE BUDGETING FOR IT.
WE'RE BUDGETING AND THERE ARE RESERVES, BUT WE ARE SE SETTING ASIDE MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR THIS.
WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE TIMING ON THE APPLICATION? GETTING IT IN, GETTING APPROVAL? UM, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD QUESTION FOR OUR GRANT TEAM.
BUT THE APPLICATION IS DUE AT THE END OF THE MONTH, SO WE HAVE IT PRETTY MUCH READY TO GO AND, AND WE'LL GET IT TURNED IN.
UM, THE LAST TIME WITH THE CHARLES LAMB, UH, PRESERVE.
IT WAS LIKE ABOUT NINE MONTHS TO GET APPROVAL AND THEN THERE'S A PROCESS AFTER THAT.
MOST OF OUR PARKS WERE ACQUIRED AND BUILT USING THESE FUNDS, SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO WHERE WE, WE ARE APPLYING FOR 'EM EVERY YEAR AND WE'RE NOT WAITING, FEEL LIKE, FEELING LIKE WE'RE WAITING, SO, NO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? SEEING NONE, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO? COUNSEL? I'LL, I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE AGENDA ITEM FIVE D SECOND.
[E. 33rd Street Sidewalk Project:]
FIVE E IS THE 33RD STREET SIDEWALK PROJECT.SUB ITEM ONE IS CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION FOR FUNDING THE 33RD STREET SIDEWALK PROJECT FROM THE 2000 CIP RESERVES AND THE AMOUNT OF $110,080 AND 10 CENTS.
SUB ITEM TWO IS CONSIDERATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF BID AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT AND APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION NUMBER ZERO SIX DASH 26 APPOINTING PURCHASING FOR THE 33RD STREET SIDEWALK PROJECT FOR ENGINEERING $110,080 AND 10 CENTS.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
STEVE LAWRENCE, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING.
UH, THE PROJECTS FOR THESE, UH, TWO AGENDA ITEMS IS, UH, SIDEWALK ON THE NORTH SIDE OF 33RD STREET, UH, FROM THORN BROOK TO BRYANT.
UH, IT WAS LISTED AS ONE OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITIES FOR THE A DA TRANSITION PLAN AS WELL AS ON A SAFER ROUTE TO SCHOOL PROJECT.
UH, IT'S BEEN A HIGH PRIORITY FOR A LONG TIME.
UH, WE FOUND THAT THERE WAS A CONFLICT WITH, UH, THE SIDEWALK AND A WATERLINE PROJECT THAT WAS, UH, BEING CONSTRUCTED ON 33RD STREET.
SO WE DELAYED THIS PROJECT FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
UH, THE WATERLINE PROJECT IS NOW COMPLETE AND SO, UH, WE'RE READY TO, UH, BOARD THIS PROJECT AND, AND MOVE FORWARD.
UM, IT WAS INADVERTENTLY LEFT OUT OF THE, UH, BUDGET FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
UM, IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, THE CIP ADVISORY BOARD, UH, REVIEWED IT AND APPROVED IT FOR, UH, FUNDING THROUGH THE CIP, THE 2000 CIP SALES TAX.
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? I THINK YOU JUST ANSWERED MY QUESTION.
WHY THE DELAY FROM LAST OCTOBER AT CIP TO TONIGHT.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHEN THAT WATER PROJECT WAS GONNA GET FINISHED IN THAT AREA, SO, CORRECT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IT'S A GAP IN OUR SIDEWALK, SO I'M EXCITED TO CLOSE THIS ONE.
I'VE GOT A MOTION FOR ITEM FOR FIVE
[00:25:01]
E.MOTION TO APPROVE FIVE E TWO SECOND.
[F. Inaugural Route 66 Beach Sprint Rowing Festival:]
FIVE F IS THE INAUGURAL ROUTE 66 BEACH SPRINT ROWING FESTIVAL.SUB ITEM ONE IS CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF A BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION TO SPONSOR THE INAUGURAL ROUTE 66 BEACH SPRINT ROWING FESTIVAL AT ARCADIA LAKE IN THE AMOUNT OF $50,000.
CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION NUMBER ZERO SEVEN DASH 26 REQUESTING QUALITY EVENT DESIGNATION FOR THE 2026 ROUTE 66 BEACH SPRINT ROWING FESTIVAL TO BE HELD AUGUST 29TH AND 30TH, 2026 AT EDMOND PARK AT ARCADIA LAKE EDMOND, OKLAHOMA.
DEFINING THE QUALITY EVENT GEOGRAPHIC AREA, SPECIFYING THE QUALITY EVENTS REVENUE CAPTURE PERIOD, IDENTIFYING THE EXPENSES ELIGIBLE FOR PAYMENT THROUGH DISTRIBUTION OF CAPTURED REVENUES TO THE HOST COMMUNITY.
IDENTIFYING THE BEACH SPRINT ROWING LEAGUE AS THE EVENT CERTIFIED SPONSOR AND IDENTIFYING THE CITY OF EDMOND AS THE HOST COMMUNITY AND DECLARING INEFFECTIVE DATE.
SUB ITEM THREE IS CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF A HOST AND SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT FOR THE INAUGURAL BEACH SPRINTS FESTIVAL AT EDMOND PARK ON ARCADIA LAKE ON AUGUST 29TH AND 30TH, 2026, $50,000 IN FISCAL YEAR 20 25, 26, AN ADDITIONAL $50,000 IN FISCAL YEAR 20 26, 27 IF BUDGET AUTHORITY PROVIDED BY CITY COUNCIL.
SO I WILL ALLOW YOU ALL TO GET STARTED.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I'M JENNIFER THORNTON, TOURISM DIRECTOR AND I LEAD VISIT EDMOND.
AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HOST THE FIRST BEACH SPRINT FESTIVAL IN THE UNITED STATES.
I'M GOING TO GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW AND THEN TURN IT OVER TO MIKE KOP, WHO'S GONNA GO THROUGH SOME SLIDES.
BUT, UM, BEACH SPRINT ROWING IS A NEW EVENT THAT WILL BE IN THE 2028 OLYMPICS.
AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT IT IS IT ACTIVATES LAKES.
UM, THE REASON EDMUND WAS CHOSEN TO BE THE FIRST FESTIVAL IS BECAUSE THIS YEAR IS A VERY SPECIAL YEAR, AS YOU KNOW, IT'S THE ROUTE 66 CENTENNIAL AND IT'S ALSO CELEBRATING AMERICA TWO 50.
AND EDMOND AND ARCADIA LAKE HAPPENED TO BE ON ROUTE 66 AND WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF AMERICA.
SO WE GET THE CHANCE TO BE THE HOST CITY FOR THIS EVENT.
AND THE AWARENESS THAT WILL, UM, HAPPEN DURING THIS EVENT BEFORE AND AFTER IS, IS REALLY PRICELESS FOR EDMOND TO BE ABLE TO TELL OUR STORY.
UM, WE ALSO GET A REALLY SPECIAL CONNECTION TO THE OLYMPICS BY HOSTING THIS EVENT.
AND, UM, I THINK SUPPORTING ARCADIA LAKE IS REALLY IMPORTANT AS WELL.
SO WE'RE ASKING FOR APPROVAL OF THREE THINGS LIKE THE MAYOR SAID.
ONE IS WE WOULD GET TO BE A HOST CITY.
SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE WOULD SPEND A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN LODGING TAX DOLLARS AND YOU WOULD BE ALSO APPROVING A RESOLUTION.
A RESOLUTION SO THAT THIS EVENT WOULD BE, UM, A, A QUALITY EVENT DESIGNATION.
AND THEN ALSO APPROVING A HOST SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT IN FRONT OF YOU IS AN UPDATED AGREEMENT.
UM, WE RECENTLY WORKED WITH UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA AND THE MAIN DIFFERENCE IN THE UPDATED AGREEMENT IN FRONT OF YOU IS THAT UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA IS, WILL BE ADDED AS AN ADDITIONAL INSURED ON THE INSURANCE WITH US ROWING.
SO YOU HAVE THAT COPY AND I HAVE SOME EXTRAS IN CASE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT.
UM, BEFORE I INTRODUCE MIKE, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS EFFORT IS SUPPORTED BY THE TOURISM ADVISORY BOARD.
MANY OF THEM ARE IN THE ROOM HERE AND THAT REPRESENTATIVES FROM US ROWING AND BEACH SPRINT ROWING LEAGUE HAVE COME TO EDMOND TWO DIFFERENT TIMES TO LOOK AT ARCADIA LAKE AND PLAN WITH US FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AND ALSO IS SUPPORTED BY PARKS AND REC BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AS WELL AS LAKE COMMISSION.
UM, THE LAST THING I JUST WANNA SAY BEFORE I INTRODUCE MIKE IS THAT THE, MY FAVORITE PART OF THIS NEW EVENT IS COLLABORATING AND WORKING WITH PARTNERS.
SO NOT ONLY DO WE GET TO WORK WITH ARCADE LAKE AND THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS WHO ALSO SUPPORT THIS EVENT, BUT ALSO THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA BOATHOUSE.
UM, THEY GET TO SERVE AS THE ADMINISTRATION POINT AS WELL AS HOSTING SOME TRAINING CAMPS ON WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, AND FRIDAY BEFORE.
[00:30:01]
AND A MR AND CITYLINK, UM, YMCA WHO, UM, THEY WILL PROVIDE LIFEGUARDS AND THE NEW YMCA WILL BE CONNECTED TO ARCADIA LAKE.WE'RE LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS FROM THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND DOWNTOWN EDMOND BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, AND OF COURSE US ROWING AND THE BEACH SPRINT ROWING LEAGUE.
SO NOW I GET TO INTRODUCE MIKE KOP.
HE IS THE FOUNDER OF RIVERSPORT AMERICA.
HE ALSO LIVES IN EDMOND AND HE BROUGHT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO US, SO I WANT HIM TO EXPLAIN IT 'CAUSE HE CAN DO THAT BETTER THAN I CAN.
UH, MAYOR, UH, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
BEING THAT I'M A GRADUATE OF EDMOND MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL.
AND, YOU KNOW, I SPENT THE LAST 25 YEARS REALLY TRYING TO DEVELOP THE OKLAHOMA RIVER INTO A WORLD CLASS VENUE WITH A LOT OF HELP.
BUT WE, YOU KNOW, WE ENDED UP, UM, GOING FROM ESSENTIALLY THERE A DITCH TO AN OLYMPIC VENUE IN, IN 20 YEARS.
AND THE FACT THAT WE WILL HOST THE 2028 OLYMPIC GAMES FOR CANOE SLALOM THERE, I THINK IS, IS REALLY UNPRECEDENTED.
IT'S A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.
UH, WITH THE ROLE THAT I'VE PLAYED OVER THE LAST, OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DECADES, I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW, UH, THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT, US ROWING VERY WELL, AND, AND HAVE BEEN ON THE OUT, LOOKING OUT FOR OPPORTUNITIES THAT CAN POSITION OKLAHOMA IN A LEADERSHIP ROLE AS WE ARE IN IN PADDLE SPORTS NOW.
UM, SO LET ME SEE IF I CAN GET THIS SLIDE.
SO I WANT TO BRING TO YOU BEACH SPRINTS.
THIS IS AN UN WHEN I, WHEN I'VE BROUGHT UP BEACH SPRINTS BEFORE, SOMETIMES I GET SOME ODD LOOKS, NOT LIKE, NOT UNLIKE WHAT I DID 20 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT ROWING IN GENERAL IN OKLAHOMA AND THEN WHITEWATER.
WELL, BEACH SPRINTS IS A NEW DISCIPLINE, UH, THAT WILL, AS JENNIFER SAID, MAKE ITS OLYMPIC DEBUT IT LOS ANGELES IN LONG BEACH.
AND, UH, IT'S A 250 METER ROW, THUS THE AMERICA TWO 50 IS CONVENIENTLY TIED TO THAT, UH, TO THAT NUMBER.
SO YOU START ON THE BEACH, YOU RUN THROUGH THE SAND, YOU JUMP IN A BOAT, YOU ROW OUT 250 METERS, SLALOM AROUND BUOYS, MAKE A HAIR HAIRPIN, TURN RACE BACK, JUMP OUT OF THE BOAT, RUN AND DIVE INTO THE FINISH LINE.
UH, IT'S TWO P TWO, UH, ATHLETES AT ONCE.
UM, THERE'S ALSO PAIRS OR DOUBLES AND, UH, OF COURSE THERE HAS NOT BEEN A CHANGE IN THE SPORT OF ROWING IN A HUNDRED YEARS OR MORE.
SO THIS IS A VERY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOMETHING COMPLETELY NEW AND US IN A POSITION TO REALLY HELP DEFINE HOW THIS CAN REALLY BE EMBRACED BY A COMMUNITY AND IN A FESTIVAL FORMAT AS WE SEE IT.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE HAVING A BEACH FESTIVAL WITH AN EVENT AND A RACE AND A, AND A SPORTING EVENT ATTACHED TO IT.
AND WHAT THE GREAT THING ABOUT IT IS IT HAS A LOT OF BROADCAST APPEAL.
AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S THUS WHY IT'S MADE ITS WAY INTO THE OLYMPICS, THREE TO FOUR MINUTES LONG, UH, GREAT FOR TIKTOK SOCIAL MEDIA CONSUMPTION.
UM, IT'S ALSO, UM, IT'S GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE PAST, UH, YOU KNOW, 10 YEARS, YOU KNOW, QUIETLY AROUND THE WORLD.
AND THEN IT MADE ITS WAY IN, LIKE I SAID, INTO THE OLYMPICS, BRACING OPEN WATER.
AND I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT HERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE WHEN I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS OR IS LIKE, ISN'T THIS GONNA START IN CALIFORNIA OR FLORIDA OR SOMEWHERE? AND I SAID, WELL, WHY NOT OKLAHOMA? WE'VE GOT A LOT OF OPEN WATER.
UH, WE'VE BEEN PIONEERING OP UH, SOME OF THESE OLYMPIC WATER SPORTS HERE, UH, LIKE WHITEWATER RAPIDS, WHY NOT BEACH SPRINTS? AND AS IT HAPPENS, AS JENNIFER ARTICULATED IT, HAVING AS ARCADIA LAKE RIGHT ON ROUTE 66 IS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY.
SO WE ALSO ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THE FACT THAT IT IS A VERY, IT'S A, IT'S AN EXTREMELY ACCESSIBLE SPORT.
SO WHEN I THINK OF, UH, WAYS TO FURTHER ACTIVATE THE LAKE, I'M AN AVID USER OF THE LAKE.
I USE IT FOR TRAIL RUNNING, PADDLING, OTHER THINGS, YOU KNOW, JUST, I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, FOR THE LAST 15, 20 YEARS.
AND I SEE THIS AS A, AS A REMARKABLE GEM THAT WE HAVE HERE IN EDMOND IN A WAY THAT WE CAN START, START TO CONNECT SOME MORE DOTS WITH HOW WE CAN USE THE LAKE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE NEW YMCA.
THEY'RE OAK, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE EASY TO GET PEOPLE IN AND, AND TEACHING HOW TO ROW.
SO WHILE YOU'RE ALSO GONNA, WHILE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE ELITE ATHLETES, SOME OF THE OLYMPIANS WILL BE HERE IN AUGUST.
IT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE CAN TEACH ANYBODY HOW TO DO.
AND WE WILL DO THIS SUMMER IN ADVANCE OF THE EVENT.
UM, AS WE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A GREAT VENUE FOR THIS WITH THE LAKE.
UH, WE CAN BE IN FRONT ON THIS.
THERE'S NOT BEEN A COMMUNITY IN AMERICA THAT HAS JUMPED IN FRONT ON THIS OPPORTUNITY YET.
SO WE FEEL LIKE, GIVEN THE FACT OF HOW WE ARE ROUTE 66 IS THE ROAD TO LA SO IT'S NATURAL THAT IT WOULD START HERE AND, UH, AND THAT IT CAN BE PICKED UP IN OTHER PLACES.
WE KNOW FLORIDA, BOSTON, OTHER LOCATIONS ARE LOOKING AT THIS, BUT WE WANT THIS TO BE THE HUB FOR THAT.
UM, WE THINK THAT THERE IS A GREAT STIMULUS, UH, TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
WE DON'T SEE THIS AS A ONE-OFF EVENT.
[00:35:01]
WE SEE THIS AS BECOMING AN ANNUAL TRADITION THAT WILL GROW, TRYING TO BE VERY CONSERVATIVE IN THE FIRST YEAR, ABOUT 230,000, UH, DOLLARS IN, IN, UH, ECONOMIC IMPACT, 1500 SPECTATORS.OF COURSE, THE, THE VISIBILITY OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA THAT WILL COME FROM DOING THIS NEW THING, I THINK IS REALLY VALUABLE.
AND, UM, THE, THIS IS A VERY GLOBAL SPORT, OF COURSE BEING TIED TO THE OLYMPICS.
I WILL SAY RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK, WE HAVE 26 COUNTRIES AT RIVERSPORT TODAY GETTING READY, GETTING THEIR FIRST TRAINING SESSION IN FOR THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP THIS SUMMER.
WE ARE BECOMING, WE'RE ON THE GLOBAL MAP WHEN IT COMES TO WATER SPORTS.
AND THIS GIVES EDMOND A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A LEAD IN THIS NEW LAKEFRONT LIFESTYLE SPORT THAT I THINK WE CAN BUILD INTO A LEAGUE, UH, OPPORTUNITY, A YOUTH OPPORTUNITY AS AS WELL, AND BE IN FRONT ON THAT.
THIS IS THE VIEW OF HOW THAT WOULD BE, UH, POSITIONED AT EDMOND PARK, UM, WITH THE BEACH AND, UM, THE STRAIGHT OUT ON THE 250 METER, UH, RUN.
YOU MIGHT WONDER, WELL, WE DON'T HAVE OCEAN WAVES.
I MEAN, WE, UH, WE, IT'S STILL AN OPEN WATER.
UH, I MEAN IT'S OBVIOUSLY IT'S A LAKE, BUT WE CAN CREATE SOME WAVES WITH, UH, WITH, UH, EVEN, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE INNOVATIONS HERE BE USING WAKEBOARD BOATS AND WATER SKIING THAT WOULD ADD TO THE ENTERTAINMENT FACTOR TO THE EVENT AS WELL.
SO, UM, AS I SAID, US ROWING IS VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
THEY WILL BE SELECTING THE NATIONAL TEAM IN EARLY AUGUST.
THIS WOULD BE THEIR FIRST EVENT THEY COME TO AFTER THAT.
AND THEN THEY WILL HOST CLINICS TO, UM, ALSO EDUCATE ROWERS FROM ACROSS THIS RE THE REGION, LIKE THE UCO ROWERS OR LIKE THE OU ROWERS OR OCU, WHAT THIS WHOLE NEW THING IS ABOUT WITH BEACH SPRINTS.
AND SO THAT'LL LEAD INTO THE EVENT, WHICH WILL HAPPEN AT THE UCO BOATHOUSE.
IT'S ACTUALLY, AGAIN, VERY WELL SITUATED FOR THIS KIND OF AN EVENT.
THERE'S ME AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS EVENT.
UM, WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY GREAT INCREDIBLE TALENT THAT, UM, ONE OF MY COUNTERPARTS IN THE SPORT OF ROWING, BRUCE SMITH, WHO, WHO WAS THE LEADER OF THE LARGEST ROWING PROGRAM IN THE, IN THE WORLD WITH CRI FOUNDED HYDRO, WHICH IS THE ROWING INDOOR, UH, LIKE THE PELOTON OF ROWING.
WE ALSO HAVE JEFFREY P*****K, WHO'S LED SEVERAL DIFFERENT PROFESSIONAL SPORT, UH, INITIATIVES, WHICH, YOU KNOW, HE BELIEVES HE'S NOT A ROWER, BUT BELIEVES THIS IS A REALLY EXCITING OPPORTUNITY FOR THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT.
AND THEN CONNOR MCGILL BEING, UH, EXTREMELY EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONAL IN EVENT PRODUCTION.
UM, SO, UH, AGAIN, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
WE THINK THIS IS REALLY AWESOME.
MY FAMILY, MY WIFE'S FAMILY IS DEEP ROOTS TO, UH, EDMOND, GOING WAY BACK TO FER PARK AND THE, UH, WIDE WE CAFE.
SO, I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF ROOTS IN THIS IN MY FAMILY, SO IT'S GREAT TO BRING SOMETHING, UH, TO EDMOND AND, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS OPPORTUNITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM UP HERE BEFORE WE LOOK AT THE AUDIENCE? I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US, MIKE, YOU WON'T REMEMBER, BUT I DO.
WHEN WE OPENED THE UCO BOATHOUSE MM-HMM
AND YOUR DREAMS WERE MUCH BIGGER THAN MINE.
WHAT'S BECOME THEIRS IS JUST AMAZING.
WHEN I TELL PEOPLE OKLAHOMA CITY'S THE CENTER OF COLLEGIATE ROWING AND OLYMPIC ROWING.
UH, AND SO APPRECIATE ALSO YOU'RE A, YOU'RE A OLD BULLDOG LIKE I AM, MR. MCINNIS WOULD TELL YOU THAT I'M A MUCH OLDER BULLDOG, BUT STILL A BULLDOG.
AND I, I JUST WANT TO KNOW, DO I GIVE YOU CREDIT FOR THAT SLOGAN, THE PICKLEBALL OF ROWING? I DON'T KNOW.
KNOW, THERE'S, I THINK, UH, I'LL, I'LL TAKE IT.
BUT I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF US WHO'VE BEEN, WHO'VE BROUGHT THAT UP SO VERY GOOD.
BUT, BUT, BUT LITERALLY THAT'S, WE THINK IT IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE NEXT THING.
SO, UH, I DON'T KNOW, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UH, ARE WE APPLYING FOR THE QUALITY EVENTS FUNDING FROM THE STATE? YES.
SO THE RESOLUTION, IF YOU APPROVE THAT TONIGHT IS THE FIRST STEP, AND SO WE COULD GET UP TO $250,000 FROM THAT APPLICATION, AND THEN IT'S A 231 APPROXIMATELY, OR AN ESTIMATED $231,000 ECONOMIC IMPACT FOR EDMOND.
IF YOU'RE REIMBURSED FOR YOUR EXPENSES, WHERE WILL THAT FUNDING RETURN? YOU KNOW, IT IS OUR DREAM TO FUND THE ARCADIA LAKE MASTER PLAN.
SO IF THIS CAN MAKE DOLLARS AND WE CAN GET BIG DOLLARS LIKE THAT YEAR AFTER YEAR, THAT IS WHERE WE WOULD LIKE THE DOLLARS TO GO.
AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS, DURING THAT EVENT, CAN YOU PLACE SOME BEACH BOY RECORDS WHILE WE'RE OUT THERE?
UM, I GOT TO HEAR IT IN WASHINGTON DC I'VE
[00:40:01]
HEARD IT HERE A COUPLE OF TIMES.UM, THIS IS REALLY EXCITING AND, AND EVERY TIME I HEAR IT, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE, THE PICTURE IS, IS GETTING A LITTLE BIT CLEARER ON THIS THING.
AND THE ONE THING THAT YOU DIDN'T TALK ABOUT WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THE CONDITIONS, YOU DIDN'T EMPHASIZE THE FACT THAT, OH, WE HAVE THE WIND.
SO, YOU KNOW, JUST, YOU JUST KIND OF BLEW RIGHT PAST THAT ONE.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO DOWNPLAY THE WIN FOR 20 YEARS,
ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? WE SHOULD HAVE GUESSED
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO? I'M GETTING GOOD VIBRATIONS ABOUT THIS.
UH, I'D MAKE A MOTIONS TO APPROVE.
SECOND, WE HAVE, WAIT, WE HAVE, WE HAVE THREE ITEMS HERE.
MOTION ON F1, F1 SECOND AND A SECOND.
FIVE ZERO MR. MAYOR, I'D MAKE THE SAME MOTION FOR ITEM F.
AND A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM F.
ALRIGHT, JENNIFER, MIKE, GET TO WORK.
AND WE WOULD LIKE A COUNCIL CLINIC, PLEASE.
TO COMPETE AGAINST, AGAINST, WE DID FORGET TO SAY THAT, THAT, THAT MA COMPETE AGAINST ONE ANOTHER.
OUR WONDERFUL CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FROM WARD ONE VOLUNTEERED THE COUNCIL FOR A TRAINING SESSION AND TO, DURING THE TRAINING EVENTS COME IN.
[G. Consideration of Approval of a Budget Amendment for a Transfer of Appropriations for Art in Public Places (AIPP); $30,000.00. (Citywide)]
ON TO 5G.CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR TRANSFER OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR ART AND PUBLIC PLACES IN THE AMOUNT OF $30,000.
MS. PANIS, KATHY PANIS, UH, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE.
THIS IS A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION FOR AN ART PIECE THAT BECAME AVAILABLE RECENTLY, UH, THROUGH OUR ART AND PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM.
IT'S A MATCHING PROGRAM WHERE WE MATCH UP TO 30,000.
UH, IT WAS ESTABLISHED BY ORDINANCE SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL THIS YEAR.
THEY HAVE EXPENDED ALL OF THEIR, UH, BUDGET AND SO THIS PIECE ACTUALLY IS AROUND $120,000 IN VALUE.
SO THE DONOR IS GOING TO BE CONTRIBUTING AROUND 90.
WE ARE MOVING FUNDS FROM, UH, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND THE CITY COUNCIL'S OFFICE.
YOU ALL WERE GENEROUS TO, UH, PROVIDE THIS FUNDING.
ANY ONE OF THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? I, I THINK I'LL TAKE THE LEAD ON THIS, MR. KRIEGER.
UM, THIS CAME TO THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, UM, AFTER THE VISUAL ARTS COMMISSION HAD EXHAUSTED ALL OF THEIR FUNDS FOR THE YEAR.
AND IT IS A MEMORIAL PIECE IN HONOR OF A YOUNG MAN WHO GREW UP HERE IN EDMOND.
AND IT'S A INCREDIBLE PIECE AND WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THE MONEY WAS GONNA COME FROM AND WE HAVE SOME DOLLARS THAT FREED UP IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, UM, ON THE PERSONNEL SIDE.
AND WE STARTED LOOKING AT IT AND IT'S LIKE, OKAY, WE CAN SQUEEZE A LITTLE BIT OUT OF THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET.
WE REALLY OUGHT TO DO THIS THING.
IT IS A, IF YOU GET A CHANCE, UM, I BELIEVE THAT THEY'S BEEN BEING PROMOTED BOTH BY COMMON GROUND AS WELL AS UNCOMMON GROUND AS WELL AS, UH, THE VISUAL ARTS COMMISSION AS A WHOLE.
IF YOU GET A CHANCE TO SEE THIS PIECE, UH, THE DRAWINGS AND THE THE CLAY WORKUP, YOU REALLY SHOULD.
IT IS A, IT IS A REALLY NEAT PIECE AND A GOOD MEMORIAL.
SO WE WORKED HARD, WE, WE FIGURED OUT HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN AND WE DON'T WANNA SLOW THIS ONE DOWN.
ANYONE ELSE MOVE APPROVAL OF FI MEAN ITEM G ON THE AGENDA.
[00:45:01]
A MOTION AND A SECOND CAST YOUR VOTE.[H. Consideration of a Budget Amendment for a Supplemental Appropriation for Oklahoma Monarch Society Partnership; $9,000.00. (Citywide)]
ITEM FIVE H IS CONSIDERATION OF A BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION FOR OKLAHOMA MONARCH SOCIETY PARTNERSHIP IN THE AMOUNT OF $9,000.UM, THIS IS AN ITEM TO ALLOW US TO SPEND MONEY FOR A GRANT THAT, THAT WE RECEIVED.
WE RECEIVED THE GRANT FROM THE OKLAHOMA MONARCH SOCIETY AND ENTERED INTO AN MOU WITH THEM.
UM, SPECIFICALLY THIS IS A PROJECT AT HAM RUDKIN PARK TO ESTABLISH A MONARCH HABITAT GARDEN THAT CAN, UH, INCREASE HABITAT FOR MONARCHS AND ALSO HAVE SOME PUBLIC PROGRAMMING AND EDUCATION.
THIS DOES INCLUDE ADDITIONAL MILKWEED PLANTINGS.
AND, UM, JUST WANNA QUICKLY RECOGNIZE AMANDA THOMAS, RECREATION COORDINATOR THAT WORKS OUT OF THE MAC AND AARON KANE, OUR, UH, PARK MAINTENANCE CREW LEADER AT MITCH PARK THAT HAVE QUIETLY BEHIND THE SCENES BEEN ESTABLISHING MONARCH HABITAT FOR YEARS AND DOING PUBLIC EDUCATION AND THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED A REALLY GOOD PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MONARCH SOCIETY TO ALLOW THIS COOL PROJECT TO HAPPEN.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
AND I KNOW THAT FORMER MAYOR DAVIS IS SITTING BACK THERE.
I SEE THE TOP OF HIS HEAD AND UH, HE'S A MILKWEED FAN AND A MONARCH GUY, SO I KNOW HE'S HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
WELL, AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT EDMOND WAS, UM, RECOGNIZED AS A PATHWAYS FOR POLLINATORS AND PEOPLE MUNICIPAL PARTNER FOR 2026 AND, UM, AS A MONARCH LEVER, I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THAT.
AND I THINK ANY, ANY EFFORT WE CAN MAKE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR TINIEST CREATURES IS GOOD FOR THE REST OF US.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR TEAM'S WORK.
TELL AMANDA AND ALL THE CREW THANK YOU AND, UH, EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
I JUST, I JUST HAVE ONE COMMENT.
PRESTON'S PROBABLY BEEN WAITING ON ME TO SAY THIS, BUT $9,000 OUT OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BUDGET IS LIKE 0.3%.
COULD WE NOT HAVE JUST PAID FOR THIS AND THEN TRANSFERRED SOME MONIES AT THE END OF THE YEAR TO GET THE MONEY BACK IN THE RIGHT BUCKET BUCKET BASED ON OUR NEW TRANSFER POLICY? YEAH, BUT I WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN ASSURANCE ABOUT THE MILKWEED.
WELL, THAT'S TRUE
SO IS ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? SEEING NONE.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO? I MOVE TO APPROVE.
SECOND MAYOR, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND CAST YOUR VOTE.
[6. Recess of the Edmond City Council Meeting and Call to Order of the Edmond Public Works Authority Meeting.]
SIX.I HAD TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO RECESS THE MOND CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND CALL TO ORDER THE MOND PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY MEETING.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND CAST YOUR VOTE.
[A. Legacy at Covell Retail Shopping Complex:]
WE ARE NOW IN THE EDMUND PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY MEETING.UNDER ITEM SEVEN PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS, I'LL STATE THE SAME THING I STATED BEFORE.
IF YOU COME FORWARD TO ADDRESS ANY OF THESE ISSUES UNDER THE PUBLIC HEARING CATEGORY, WE ASK THAT YOU STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR ADDRESS, AND THAT YOU STAY FOCUSED ON THE AGENDA ITEM.
A LEGACY AT COVE RETAIL SHOPPING COMPLEX.
A ONE IS A CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF A BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION FROM EMOND ELECTRIC RESERVES TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE ACCOUNT IN THE AMOUNT OF $17 MILLION.
ITEM A TWO DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION APPROVAL OF A DE DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE AGREEMENT WITH COVE 35 DEVELOPMENT LLC FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE LEGACY AT COVE RETAIL SHOPPING COMPLEX IN THE AMOUNT OF $17 MILLION.
MR. MAYOR, MAYOR, I'M RANDY ENTZ, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE FIRST ITEM, UH, WHICH IS MOVING $17 MILLION FROM EDMOND ELECTRIC RESERVES TO AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE ACCOUNT.
UH, LENA DOZIER WILL BE UP AFTER THIS TO COVER THE DETAILS OF AN INCENTIVE AGREEMENT AT COVE AND I 35.
UH, THE MOVING OF THE FUNDS WILL ALLOW THE CITY TO MEET ITS OBLIGATIONS INCLUDED IN THAT INCENTIVE AGREEMENT, UH, AND APPROVAL WILL HAVE THE FUNDS IN THE APPROPRIATE PLACE BEFORE THE AGREEMENT IS CONSIDERED.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT FIRST ITEM.
[00:50:02]
LENA'S GONNA COVER THAT.OKAY, WHO'S GONNA COVER THAT ONE? LENA? OKAY.
HELLO, HOW ARE YOU GUYS? I'M GONNA TRY TO TALK INTO THIS TODAY.
DO YOU HAVE THE PRESENTATION OR MAYBE I CAN TALK WITHOUT IT IF YOU GUYS DON'T MIND OR WE CAN WAIT FOR, THERE IS A PRESENTATION I'M I'M ASKING IN THE CONTROL ROOM TO BRING IT UP.
WELL, I CAN GET STARTED ON IT.
UM, THE LEGACY AT COVELL IS THE PROJECT THAT WE'RE HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT TODAY.
UM, IT IS A RETAIL COMPLEX LOCATED AT I 35 IN COVE.
IT IS, UM, APPROXIMATELY TWO, 250,000 SQUARE FEET OF RETAIL SPACE.
UM, AND INCLUDES AT LEAST NINE TARGETED RETAILERS.
THOSE RETAILERS ARE DICK'S SPORTING GOODS, WHOLE FOODS, HOBBY LOBBY, TEXAS ROADHOUSE, COOPER'S HAWK OR AND OR RUTH, CHRIS PETSMART, BARNES AND NOBLE OR A SUBSTITUTE RETAILER, SHAKE SHACK AND CHIPOTLE.
AND OBVIOUSLY THERE MIGHT BE OTHERS THAT ARE DETERMINED AT A LATER DATE.
SO AS RANDY MENTIONED, UM, THE INCENTIVE IS A NOT TO EXCEED $17 MILLION.
UM, IT IS FOR THOSE NINE TARGETED RETAILERS IN THE AMOUNT OF JUST A LITTLE OVER, UM, $1.8 MILLION PER RETAILER.
THERE IS A CONDITION ON THE, UM, INCENTIVE PER RETAILER.
THE DEVELOPER SHALL NOT RECEIVE ANY THE INCENTIVE, UM, UNLESS THE TARGETED RETAIL, UNLESS THE PRIORITY ANCHOR TENANTS HAVE SATISFIED.
IN THE SLIDE BEFORE I CAN SHOW YOU NOW, THE PRIORITY ANCHOR TENANTS ARE DICK'S SPORTING GOODS AND WHOLE FOODS.
SO ONCE THOSE ARE COMPLETE, THEY WOULD BE UM, THEY WOULD MEET THE CONDITIONS TO GET THEIR INCENTIVE PAYMENTS.
THE TIMING OF THE INCENTIVE PAYMENT IS 50% OF THE INCENTIVE WILL BE PAID NO LATER THAN 30 DAYS FOLLOWING THE DATE THAT THEY, THAT THE RETAILERS ISSUED THEIR CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
UM, THEY OCCUPY THE PREMISE, THEY'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS AND THEY HAVE THEIR SALES TAX PERMIT AND THEN THE OTHER 50% OF THE INCENTIVE WILL BE PAID 180 DAYS AFTER THE DATE THAT THEY ARE OPEN.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? UM, I'VE GOT ONE QUESTION AND REALLY I'M LOOKING AROUND FOR GLEN FISHER.
I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT, AND GLEN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY COME FORWARD, BUT I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT USING 17 MILLION OF YOUR RESERVES IS NOT GONNA ALTER YOUR FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN THAT YOU DISCUSSED WITH US IN THE WORKSHOP A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
GLEN FISHER, DIRECTOR EDMUND ELECTRIC, UH, NO, THIS WILL NOT AFFECT THE, UH, THE PROGRAMS WE TALKED ABOUT THE OTHER DAY.
THOSE BASICALLY WERE SUBSTATION EXPANSIONS AND LINE EXTENSION PROGRAMS THAT WE HAD.
UH, THOSE ARE BEING BOND FUNDED.
THE MONEY THAT WAS SET ASIDE WAS FOR ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE'VE SINCE CANCELED.
UM, AND UH, SO IT WILL NOT AFFECT OUR PLANS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS UP HERE? WOULD ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? JEFF STOKES, UH, 31 40 BIRCHWOOD CIRCLE IN ARCADIA.
I'VE BEEN DRIVING BY THIS, UH, SPECK OF DUST OTHER THAN THE SHOWBIZ AND THE HILTON THAT THAT'S THERE.
UH, AND IT'D BE NICE TO SEE SOME MOVEMENT AND SOME DEVELOPMENT, ESPECIALLY SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF JUST RESTAURANTS THAT WE TYPICALLY HAVE FOR OUR CITY AND OBVIOUSLY HELP US WITH OUR TAX BASE.
SO I DON'T SEE WHY WE WOULDN'T DO SOMETHING TOWARD THAT.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR CONSIDERING THAT.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS LORI DICKINSON BLACK, 2,400 NORTH BRYANT AVENUE AND I'M THE OWNER OF BLUEBIRD BOOKS HERE IN EDMOND.
AS YOU MAY KNOW, ALSO WITH MY HUSBAND ROBERT BLACK.
WE OWN EVOKE TWISTED TREE BAKING COMPANY, THE LOFTS AT EV OAK, WHERE OUR OFFICES ARE.
AND MOST RECENTLY, LO LOBA CANTINA AND GRILL.
THREE OF OUR FOUR CHILDREN GRADUATE FROM EDMOND AND WE ARE FULLY INVESTED HERE.
AND I'M HERE THIS EVENING PARTICULARLY TO DISCUSS THIS ITEM.
I WANNA SAY THAT I SUPPORT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING TO GROW OUR TAX BASE.
HOWEVER, I'LL BE HONEST, WHEN I HEARD WE WERE CONSIDERING INCENTIVIZING BARNES AND NOBLE AS A TENANT BEING ACTIVELY RECRUITED TO EDMOND, I WAS LIKE, WHAT THE HECK? TO PUT IT NICELY.
IT ISN'T THAT BARNES AND NOBLE SHOULDN'T HAVE A PLACE HERE.
IT'S WHAT IT'S POSSIBLE ARRIVAL REPRESENTS IN THIS MOMENT AND WHAT ITS SIGNALS UNDER THE DIRECTION WE ARE CHOOSING AS A COMMUNITY.
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EDMOND ALREADY HAS THREE INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES, BLUEBIRD BOOKS, BEST OF BOOKS AND ARCHIVE BOOKS.THESE STORES DIDN'T ARRIVE BECAUSE OF INCENTIVES OR RECRUITMENT EFFORTS.
THEY EXIST BECAUSE LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS TOOK RISK, SIGNED LEASES, INVESTED THEIR OWN CAPITAL, BROUGHT IN IN PRIVATE BEST IN PRIVATE INVESTMENT, AND SHOW UP EVERY DAY TO BUILD SOMETHING MEANINGFUL FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'VE CREATED SPACES WHERE PEOPLE GATHER, WHERE CHILDREN DISCOVER READING, WHERE EVENTS ARE HELD AND WHERE RELATIONSHIPS ARE BUILT OVER TIME AND WE COLLABORATE WITH ONE ANOTHER.
UH, WE CALL EACH OTHER TO HELP LOCATE BOOKS THAT A CUSTOMER'S LOOKING FOR SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL.
WE HAVE THE CENTRAL OKLAHOMA, UH, BOOKSTORE COMMUNITY WHERE WE CREATE BOOK CRAWLS TO HELP NOT JUST OUR BOOKSTORES, BUT OTHER BOOKSTORES, INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES AND SMALL RETAILERS ARE ALREADY OPERATING IN VERY CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENTS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE RISE OF COMPANIES LIKE AMAZON, WHICH HAS FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED HOW PEOPLE BUY BOOKS.
AND RECOGNIZING THIS SHIFT AND AFTER YEARS OF DECLINE IN CLOSING MANY OF ITS LARGE FORMAT STORES, BARNES AND NOBLE HAS RECEPTED ITS MODEL TO COMPETE MORE DIRECTLY WITH INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES.
THAT APPROACH HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
THEY OPENED 57 NEW STORES IN 2024 MORE THAN THEY OPENED IN THE ENTIRE PREVIOUS DECADE BETWEEN 2009 AND 2019.
IN 2025, THEY OPENED 60, AND IN 2026 THEY HAD PLANS TO CONTINUE AT THAT PACE.
THAT'S NOT JUST GROWTH, THAT'S A FULL REVERSAL FROM DECLINE AND AGGRESSIVE EXPANSION.
BUT THAT SUCCESS HAS COME FROM ADOPTING MANY OF THE STRENGTHS OF INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES AND COMPETING MORE DIRECTLY FOR THE SAME CUSTOMERS, NOT FROM CREATING AN ENTIRELY NEW DEMAND FOR BOOKS.
SO THIS ISN'T JUST ADDING ANOTHER BOOKSTORE, IT'S INTRODUCING A WELL-CAPITALIZED, INTERNATIONALLY BACKED COMPETITOR INTO THE EDMOND MARKET THAT IS INTENTIONALLY TARGETING THE SAME SPACE.
INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES HAVE WORKED HARD TO BUILD, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT NOT ALL SALES AND NEW BUSINESS ARE CREATED EQUAL.
THE ADAGE IN THE RESTAURANT AND BAR WORLD, UH, IS A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS.
AND BECAUSE THAT REMINDS US THAT MORE OPTIONS DON'T MEAN WE'RE DILUTING A MARKET SHARE, IT'S BECAUSE WE ARE CREATING A CENTER DRAWING MORE PEOPLE.
AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT WITH THE CITY WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT ADDING A BREWERY IN DOWNTOWN AND WE'VE ADDED A A COFFEE SHOP DOWNTOWN AND WE'VE SEEN THAT HAPPEN.
BUT MORE BOOKSTORES DON'T CREATE MORE BUSINESS, MORE BOOKSTORES AT THIS POINT IN EDMOND MEANS SOMEONE IS GOING OUT OF BUSINESS.
THERE IS AN UNLIMITED GROWTH IN BOOK SALES.
WHEN A NEW BOOKSTORE ENTERS A MARKET, IT TYPICALLY SHIFTS WHERE PEOPLE BUY BOOKS RATHER THAN DRAMATICALLY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF BOOKS PURCHASED OR INCREASING SALES TAX REVENUE.
WHEN WE'RE MAKING THIS CHOICE TO POSSIBLY GIVE PUBLIC DOLLARS FOR INCENTIVES TO BARNES AND NOBLE, WE'RE ALSO MAKING THE CHOICE TO LOSE SOME, IF NOT ALL OF OUR INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES IN EDMOND.
SO KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CREATING A NEW TAX REVENUE STREAM.
IT'S NOT NEW, IT IS JUST COMING FROM A DIFFERENT PLACE.
SO THE QUESTION BECOMES NOT JUST WHAT ARE WE ADDING, BUT WHAT WE MAY BE AFFECTING BY BRINGING BARNES AND NOBLE TO THE MARKET.
AND I THINK THAT'S A REASONABLE QUESTION TO ASK WHEN PUBLIC INCENTIVES ARE INVOLVED.
I ALSO HOPE WE CAN PAUSE TO RECOGNIZE AND VALUE THE ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO ARE ALREADY HERE, THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN THE RISK TO BUILD SOMETHING MEANINGFUL FROM THE GROUND UP IN EDMOND.
WE SIGN THE LEASES, WE INVEST OUR OWN CAPITAL, WE SHOW UP EVERY DAY TO PAY THE BILLS, GENERATE SALES, EMPLOYEE RESIDENTS, COLLECT SALES TAX SUPPORT LOCAL NONPROFITS, AND BUILD COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE WE ARE FULLY INVESTED IN EDMOND.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A REAL RISK IN DEVELOPMENT TOO, AND THERE IS JUST AS MUCH IF NOT MORE RISK BY SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO DO ALL THIS WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PUBLIC INCENTIVES.
SO AGAIN, I WANNA BE CLEAR, THIS IS NOT ABOUT OPPOSING GROWTH AND IT'S NOT ABOUT OPPOSING THIS DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S ABOUT ASKING WHETHER OUR APPROACH TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRULY REFLECTS THE VALUES WE WANNA CARRY FORWARD FOR EDMOND, NOT JUST TODAY, BUT FOR THE YEARS AHEAD BECAUSE THE DECISIONS MADE HERE TONIGHT WILL SHAPE MORE THAN OUR TAX BASE.
THEY WILL HELP DEFINE EDMOND'S IDENTITY IN THE KIND OF COMMUNITY WE OFFER TO FUTURE GENERATIONS.
THE EDMOND I WANNA BE A PART OF IS ONE THAT FOCUSES ON BUILDING AND GROWING OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND STRENGTHENING THE BUSINESS CENTERS THAT ALREADY EXIST.
AND AS WE PAUSE TO CONSIDER DEVELOPMENTS LIKE THIS, I WOULD ASK, ARE WE FOLLOWING THE ROADMAP FOR WHAT WE WANT EDMOND TO BECOME? ARE WE SHAPING THE CITY WE WANT TO BE KNOWN FOR? AND ARE WE CONTINUING TO CRAFT THE KIND OF COMMUNITY EDMOND WAS FOUNDED TO BE? THANK YOU.
[01:00:01]
MCINNIS, ARE YOU GOING TO RESPOND TO THAT? WELL, IS THAT YOUR IDEA? ARE YOU JUST GONNA TALKUH, NO, I'M NOT GONNA RESPOND TO MISS OR AND MRS. BLACK, I'D BE AN IDIOT TO COME UP HERE.
I'M ALREADY PROBABLY AN IDIOT.
UH, AND SO NO, I MEAN THE BLACKS, THEIR INVESTMENT IN DOWNTOWN EDMOND IS ALMOST UNPARALLELED IN THE RETAIL SPACE.
AND I WAS AT AOKE WITH MY DAUGHTER FROM MED SCHOOL ON THURSDAY AND I WAS AT BLUEBIRD BOOKS TWO WEEKS AGO.
SO NO, THAT WOULD BE, THAT'D BE SILLY.
BUT I DO WANT TO DO TWO THINGS IF I COULD.
IT'S JUST GIVE A LITTLE HISTORY AND, AND MY CLIENT, RODDY BATES AND HIS PARTNER MIKE DILLARD, ARE LOCAL PEOPLE.
AND, AND RODDY'S INVESTED A LITTLE OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN THIS LOCATION AND, AND CERTAINLY IS NOT AN INTERNATIONAL OUTSIDE DEVELOPER.
AND, AND THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF MICRO DEVELOPMENT AND MACRO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, BUT THE LAST THING I WANT TO COME ACROSS AS SAYING THAT, UH, THE COMMENTS OF MRS. BLACK ARE, ARE NOT VALID, ARE NOT SOMETHING TO BE CONSIDERED.
UH, AND THE SECOND THING I WANNA DO BEFORE I START IS APOLOGIZE THAT I HAVE NEVER NOT WORN A TIE TO THIS PODIUM.
AND I GOT HELD UP IN A MEETING IN PIEDMONT AND RAN LATE.
SO I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE THAT I AM WOEFULLY UNDERDRESSED IN THE EYES OF MR. MOORE.
UH, IN 2005, MY CLIENTS BEGAN ACQUIRING PROPERTY AT COVAL AND I 35, 21 YEARS AGO.
AND THAT BEGAN A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF EDMOND THAT HAS SEEN SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES ALONG THE WAY.
IN MAY OF 2006, THE FIRST PUD WAS APPROVED ON ALL THREE OF THE FOUR CORNERS, THE NORTHEAST CORNER, THE NORTHWEST CORNER, AND THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THIS INTERSECTION.
AND BEGAN THE FIRST OF TWO THINGS.
THE FIRST TIME THROUGH AN AMENDMENT WE EVER HAD A MASTER SIGNAGE PLAN FOR AN OVERALL DEVELOPMENT.
AND THE FIRST TIME WE HAD A MASTER TREE PRESERVATION PLAN FOR AN OVERALL DEVELOPMENT.
AND THOSE THINGS CONTINUE TO BE IN EFFECT AND BE EFFECTIVE AT THAT LOCATION TODAY.
BUT IN 2006, AFTER THEY GOT THE PROPERTY ZONED, IT BEGAN A PURSUIT OF RETAIL DEVELOPMENT, A SPORTS COMPLEX AND OTHER ENTERTAINMENT ACTIVITY AT THAT LOCATION.
AND 2007 AND 2008, WE HAD A BIG RECESSION AND EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN FOR A FEW MINUTES.
AND THEN IN 2012 THERE WAS A MASTER MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN COVE 35 DEVELOPMENT, LLC AND THE CITY OF EDMOND.
AND IT BEGAN THIS FRAMEWORK FOR HOW DEVELOPMENT MIGHT HAPPEN AT THIS INTERSECTION.
ALL THREE OF THE FOUR CORNERS THAT RODDY AND MIKE OWNED AND, AND STILL DO TO THIS DAY.
IN 2012, WE MODIFIED THAT BECAUSE WE HAD A NEW ELEMENT AND THAT WAS A HOTEL CONFERENCE CENTER AND THERE WAS OPPOSITION THEN FROM THE PUBLIC IT WAS GOING TO DESTROY OTHER HOTEL OPERATORS IN TOWN.
AND WHAT OUR DATA SHOWS TODAY, AND I'M NOT SAYING IT'S THE SAME AS BOOKS, IS THAT THE AVERAGE RETAIL ROOM NIGHTS HAVE GONE UP AS A RESULT OF THE HOTEL CONFERENCE CENTER BEING THERE FOR THE LAST, SINCE 2012 WHEN THE AGREEMENT WAS PUT IN PLACE IN 2017 WHEN THEY OPENED.
AND THEN IN 2013 THERE WAS A DESIRE BY CHARLES LAMB, THE CITY MAYOR AT THE TIME TO PURSUE SHIELDS.
AND SEVERAL OF US GOT ON A PLANE EARLY ONE MORNING AND FLEW TO KANSAS CITY AND LOOKED AT A SHIELDS THAT HAD JUST OPENED AND THEN WE FLEW FROM THERE TO OMAHA, NEBRASKA AND LOOKED AT ANOTHER SHIELDS.
UH, AND SHIELDS DIDN'T HAVE A SINGLE LOCATION SOUTH OF KANSAS CITY.
THEY'RE OUT OF THE DAKOTAS IS WHERE THEY'RE FROM.
AND CHARLES LAMB ONE WANTED TO BE HERE, AND IT WAS A GREAT IDEA, AND THERE JUST WASN'T THE PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
AND SINCE THEN, SHIELDS HAS GONE TO PLANO AND GONE TO BROKEN ARROW AND, AND NOW IT'S GONNA GO RIGHT OUTSIDE OUR CITY LIMITS AT PORTLAND AND MEMORIAL ROAD AFTER AN $8 MILLION INCENTIVE FROM THE CITY OF OKLAHOMA CITY.
BUT THAT DESIRE FOR THAT PARTNERSHIP THAT EXISTS BETWEEN RODDY AND MIKE AND THE CITY OF EDMOND HAS CONTINUED TO FLOURISH.
AND WE HAVE, OBVIOUSLY THE SHOWBIZ, WHICH OPENED IN 2017, THAT WAS A SALES TAX INCENTIVE AND, AND CAUSED ROD AND HIS GROUP TO INVEST $18 MILLION.
WE HAVE THE HOTEL CONFERENCE CENTER WHERE THE CITY LOANED $4.8 MILLION, AND MY CLIENT SPENT $20 MILLION TO BUILD THE HOTEL CONFERENCE CENTER THAT IS CONTINUALLY SUCCESSFUL OR VISIT EDMOND OFFICES TO THIS, TO THIS VERY DAY.
AND SO SOMETIMES YOU HEAR PEOPLE SAY, THE CITY'S THE ONLY THING DOING, THE ONLY ONE DOING ANYTHING OUT THERE, AND WE NEED TO CAUSE SOMETHING TO HAPPEN.
AND I WILL SAY THIS AS A PERSONAL COMMENT, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES TO SELL OFF THE FRONTAGE OF COVE I 35.
THERE'D BE AN ON QUEUE THERE TODAY, OR WHATABURGER, OR ALL KINDS OF OTHER UNATTRACTIVE ELEMENTS FROM WHAT THE CITY OF EDMOND SAYS THEY WANT.
AND MIKE AND RODDY HAVE HELD STEADFAST TO SAY, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DELIVER.
WE COMMITTED IN 2012 TO THE CITY OF EDMOND TO BRING A DEVELOPMENT THE CITY OF EDMOND WOULD BE PROUD OF.
THAT IS NEW TO MARKET ITEMS AND STORES AND RETAIL OPERATIONS THAT DO NOT EXIST SOMETIMES ANYWHERE IN OUR STATE, BUT CERTAINLY NOT IN OUR MARKETPLACE.
AND SO THAT, THAT COMMITMENT HAS CONTINUED.
AND WE KNOW CERTAIN THINGS ABOUT THIS DEVELOPMENT.
[01:05:01]
278,000 SQUARE FEET OF RETAIL SPACE.IT'S ESTIMATED TO HAVE $162 MILLION A YEAR IN ANNUAL SALES.
IT'S ESTIMATED WHEN IT'S FULLY BUILT OUT TO PUT ABOUT $900,000 TO THE AVALOR TAX BASE JUST FOR THAT 45 ACRES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE KNOW THAT JUST THE SALES ON CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS ALONE FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT WOULD GENERATE $2.8 MILLION IN SALES TAX TO THE CITY, NOT THE 8.275, BUT THE CITY'S THREE AND THREE QUARTER PERCENT.
SO WE KNOW THERE'S ECONOMICS AND, AND MS. DOZER DID A A GREAT JOB OF TALKING ABOUT THAT.
BUT TWO OTHER THINGS, AND THEN I'LL SIT DOWN BECAUSE I THINK, UH, THESE THINGS ARE RELEVANT.
WE KNOW FROM EVERY RETAIL PARTNER THAT'S COME TO THIS SITE SINCE 2006, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS GREEN.
IT'S LIKE, I GOT MY BUSINESS FRIDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY, BUT WHO'S GONNA BE HERE MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY? AND OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, THE CITY OF EDMOND HAS PLOTTED SOMEWHERE AROUND 700 TO A THOUSAND LOTS EAST OF I 35.
AND THE IDEA OF A HIGH SCHOOL, POSSIBLY GOING AT AIR DEPOT AND COVELL ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER HAS NOW TURNED INTO A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT FOR A MIDDLE SCHOOL AND AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND NOW OUR RETAIL PARTNERS SAY, YEAH, IT'S NO LONGER GREEN.
WE KNOW IT'S THE GEOGRAPHICAL CENTER OF EDMOND, BUT WHO'S GONNA EAT HER MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY OR THROUGH THURSDAY? WHO'S GONNA BUY LUNCH HERE? WE KNOW THAT WHOLE FOODS DOES 50% OF THEIR BUSINESS BETWEEN 11:30 AM AND 1:30 PM BECAUSE PEOPLE COME IN FOR LUNCH.
AND WHEN I DID THE COVEL AND KELLY PROJECT WITH LOWE'S AND WALGREENS IN 2006, THAT WAS THE PROBLEM.
THAT'S WHY WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY RESTAURANTS OUT THERE.
AND THEN A ORTHODONTICS SHOP OPENED UP, AND THEN A VETERINARIAN OPENED UP, AND THEN OTHER PEOPLE CAME OUT THERE THAT WERE EMPLOYEES AND THEY HAD PLACES TO EAT, THEY NEEDED TO EAT.
AND WE'LL SEE THE SAME THING AT THIS DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO AS WE LOOK AT THE IMPACT, $1.6 MILLION A YEAR IN UTILITY BILLS WILL BE PAID FROM THIS DEVELOPMENT.
ABOUT HALF OF THAT EDMOND ELECTRIC, ABOUT A QUARTER OF IT SEWER, AND ABOUT A QUARTER OF IT WATER.
THOSE ARE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS IN THIS AREA.
AND WE SEE THE ABILITY THAT NOW IS THE TIME.
AND SO LEMME TALK ABOUT THE AGREEMENT JUST FOR A MINUTE.
UH, WE HAD PROBABLY, I THINK THE LAST AGREEMENT WE HAD WAS 2021.
IT WAS A 2 CENT DEVELOPMENT FOR AGREEMENT FOR 20 YEARS.
IT WAS BY ANY ACCOUNT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 40 AND $70 MILLION DEPENDING ON HOW YOU DID THE MATH OVER TIME.
THIS AGREEMENT ADMITTEDLY, IS FUNDS BASED ON PROJECTED REVENUE BECAUSE OF COMPANIES OR BUSINESSES THAT OPEN.
BUT THE IDEA OF, OF THE RETAIL TENANTS THAT WE IDENTIFIED, THERE'S NINE OF THEM.
WE SAW THE LIST WHEN MS. DOZER PUT IT UP THERE.
BUT ONE THING THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT, I'VE GOT A LIST HERE THAT HAS, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 30 TENANTS THAT'LL BE OUT THERE, AND THEY AVERAGE ANYWHERE FROM A FEW THOUSAND SQUARE FEET TO I THINK DICK'S.
IT'S ABOUT 40,000 SQUARE FEET OF, UH, RETAIL SPACE.
THE IDEA OF WHO THE TENANTS WILL BE IS DRIVEN BY THE MARKETPLACE.
AND SO WE'VE IDENTIFIED NINE, BUT WE ALSO KNOW ONE THING, NOT NINE, ALL NINE OF THOSE ARE PROBABLY GONNA BE THERE.
SO WE HAVE LANGUAGE IN THE AGREEMENT THAT IDENTIFIES SUBSTITUTE TENANTS.
AND NOT ALL NINE OF THOSE HAVE SIGNED LEASES RIGHT NOW.
WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE LANGUAGE IN OUR AGREEMENT THAT SAYS, LET ME PICK, UH, AN EXAMPLE OF A BC STORE.
LET'S SAY WE PROJECT THEIR SALES AT 3.6 MILLION A YEAR AND TURNS OUT A BC ISN'T WANT, WANTS TO COME HERE AFTER ALL, OR WE DON'T WANT 'EM OR YOU DON'T WANT 'EM.
I GUESS THE IDEA THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE CITY TO SUBSTITUTE THOSE IS BIT IS BAKED INTO THE DOCUMENT.
AND SO HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT IT'S 270 PLUS OR MINUS A THOUSAND SQUARE FEET.
WE HAVE 104,000 SQUARE FEET REPRESENTED BY THESE NINE TENANTS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED.
BUT WHETHER OR NOT SOMEONE GETS INCENTIVIZED DOESN'T ALLOW ANYBODY TO CONTROL WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE TO POTENTIALLY COME THERE, BUT IT WOULD POTENTIALLY CHANGE WHO THEY ARE IN THE DOCUMENT.
AND SO THERE'S SEVERAL TENANTS THAT HAVE BEEN MENTIONED HERE TONIGHT THAT ARE LETTERS OF INTENT AS OPPOSED TO LEASES.
OUR PARTNER, UH, ERIC SYS AND HIS TEAM ARE CONSTANTLY FIELDING CALLS FROM TENANTS THAT WANT TO BE AT THIS SITE.
I MET WITH A LOCAL DEVELOPER THAT DOES PROJECTS ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND HIS COMMENT IS, THIS DEVELOPMENT AT COVAL 35 WILL BE THE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE EDMOND FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.
SO IF I WERE TO TAKE OUT RUTH'S CHRIS OUT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, I DON'T HAVE THAT AUTHORITY.
AND SOMEONE DECIDES THAT FOGO DE CHOW WANTS TO COME THERE, WE'RE NOT GONNA KEEP THEM FROM COMING, BUT WE COULD MODIFY THE TERMS OF WHO THE SUBSTITUTE TENANTS ARE BASED ON THE LANGUAGE WE'VE ALREADY NEGOTIATED AND TALK TO, UH, IN OUR DISCUSSION WITH THE CITY.
SO, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE I'M CREEPING UP ON THE ISSUE THAT MRS. BLACK MENTIONED, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO DO THAT.
WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY IS THAT IT'S NOT OUR DESIRE TO PICK
[01:10:01]
AND CHOOSE TENANTS THAT WOULD COME IN AND COMPETE WITH OUR BUSINESSES.IT IS OUR DESIRE TO BRING A DEVELOPMENT THAT'S WORLD CLASS THAT WILL BE BE PROUD OF, AND THAT'S GONNA CAUSE A LOT OF TENANTS TO WANT TO COME TO THAT LOCATION.
AND SO IF FOR EXAMPLE, WE TOOK OUT ONE OF THE TENANTS AND SAID, THERE'S EIGHT OF THEM, WE'LL DIVIDE THE 17 BY EIGHT.
I MEAN, IT'S THE SAME CONCEPT IN THE SENSE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET A DEVELOPMENT DONE THAT NORMALLY ECONOMICS WON'T CAUSE TO HAPPEN.
AND I'LL TAKE A PARKING HERE FOR MENTION WHOLE FOODS BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT KEEPS COMING UP.
I THINK THEY'RE 35,000 SQUARE FEET.
I THINK THEY REPRESENT A, A SMALL FRACTION OF THE ESTIMATED ANNUAL SALES OF THIS ENTIRE DEVELOPMENT.
AND IF WE'RE NOT TO GET AN INCENTIVE AGREEMENT, RODDY AND MIKE HAVE THE AUTHORITY IN THEIR DOCUMENT TO TERMINATE THE WHOLE FOODS LEASE.
BUT EVERY OTHER TENANT THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED HAS A CO-TENANCY REQUIREMENT AND THEIR LEASES GIVE THEM THE ABILITY TO TERMINATE THEIR LEASES IF WHOLE FOODS ISN'T ON THE SITE, NOT THREATENING.
THAT'S JUST THE NATURE OF CHASING TENANTS IN THIS MARKET.
WE'VE SEEN THAT WITH SHIELDS AT PORTLAND.
HECK, WE SAW $50 MILLION IN NORMAN THE OTHER DAY WITH THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, SOONER FASHION MALL.
WE SAW THAT ON THE NEWS LAST WEEK.
UH, AND SO THAT'S JUST THE NATURE OF WHAT WE'RE HAVING TO DO TO DRIVE THE DEVELOPMENT.
I STILL HAVE CLOTHES I BOUGHT AT MCCALL'S THAT MY PARENTS BOUGHT FROM ME.
EDMOND'S ALWAYS HAD GREAT RETAIL.
WE'RE NOT BRINGING FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER GREAT RETAIL TO EDMOND.
WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE HAVE A TOWN OF 94,000 PEOPLE, AND WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO BE HERE, BUT THEY ALSO WANT TO BE IN OTHER AREAS WHERE OUR PEOPLE WILL GO AND SHOP.
AND SO THE INCENTIVE GAME HAS BECOME A PRODUCT THAT WE HAVE TO JOIN AND NOT AT THE DETRIMENT OF ANYBODY.
MY MOTHER, I THINK SINGLE HANDEDLY KEEPS BEST OF BOOKS IN BUSINESS.
AND SO WE HAVE A DOCUMENT THAT ALLOWS US THAT FLEXIBILITY, BUT IT TAKES BOTH OF US AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND THAT'S OUR SPIRIT, THAT'S OUR HEART.
THAT'S HOW WE WANT TO COMMUNICATE THAT.
SO I'M SORRY I TOOK SO MUCH OF A DETOUR OVER ON THAT SIDE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO GIVE SOME COLOR TO HOW WE GOT HERE.
COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS, COUNSELOR.
DOES THE, UH, INCENTIVE GO TO BARNES AND NOBLE OR DOES IT GO TO THE DEVELOPER? THE INCENTIVE IS PAID BY THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT TO THE DEVELOPER.
AND IN WITHIN THE AGREEMENT, BARNES AND NOBLE IN PARTICULAR SAYS OR SUBSTITUTE.
I, I WOULD ASSUME THAT YOUR CLIENT WOULD BE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT ANOTHER ONE AS A SUBSTITUTE.
IF WE COULD FIND, AND I'M WILLING TO WORK WITH THEM TO FIND SOMEBODY WHO PUT THE SAME RETAIL SALES AND POTENTIAL SO THAT IT DOESN'T QUERY THE WHOLE DEVELOPMENT.
AND, AND, AND IF THEY ARE, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD OPTION.
BUT IT, IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE TRYING NOT TO HAVE SOMEBODY COME.
UH, THE ANSWER IS YES, UNEQUIVOCALLY YES.
AND TO, TO MRS. BLACK'S COMMENT, WHEN BARNES AND NOBLE POPPED UP ON MY CLIENT'S RADAR, THEY WERE AS SURPRISED AS ANYBODY BECAUSE THEY WERE IN THE MINDSET OF FOUR YEARS AGO, BARNES AND NOBLE'S, LIKE, THEY'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING.
I WAS IN KANSAS CITY YESTERDAY ON THE PLAZA.
THERE'S A BARNES AND NOBLE RIGHT NEXT TO A COOPER'S HAWK.
I MEAN, I WAS SHOCKED, RIGHT? BUT THE IDEA OF WHAT THE CITY'S INVESTING IN AS A PARTNER IS THEY'RE MAKING A, I BELIEVE, A WISE INVESTMENT IN FUTURE REVENUE.
SO WHETHER THAT REVENUE IS FROM BARNES AND NOBLE OR A BC BOOK SELLERS OR PICK SOMETHING ELSE THAT DOESN'T EXIST, THEN THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE DEAL.
IT'S NOT TO BRING IN ONE OVER THE OTHER.
IT'S TO BUY REVENUE AND TO INVEST IN THAT FUTURE.
DAVID HOLT SAYS IT ALL THE TIME, WHAT DO I TELL CITIES THAT WANNA BE LIKE OKLAHOMA CITY? INVEST IN YOURSELF.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE WITH RESPECT TO THAT COUNCILMAN FRAME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS UP HERE FOR MR. MCINNIS? THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR TIME AND EFFORT, UH, AND WHERE WE ARE IN THIS PARTNERSHIP.
BEFORE YOU STEP AWAY, UH, IF THIS IS APPROVED, TELL ME A TIMELINE WHEN, UH, THOSE BUSINESSES WILL BE OPEN FOR RETAIL BUSINESS.
SO, UH, THERE'S A LAND DISTURBANCE PERMIT THAT'S ACTIVE AND HAPPENING OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
UH, THE CONSTRUCTION FINANCING IS IN PLACE AND BEING SPLIT TO BUILD, UH, SOMETHING OUT THERE.
UH, AND SO THERE'S A PLAN FOR A MASTER DIRT GRADING PLAN FOR THE ENTIRE SITE.
UH, I THINK YOU'RE LOOKING AT, AND I'LL LOOK BACK AT KIPP IN A MINUTE, PROBABLY 12 TO 14 MONTHS BEFORE YOUR FIRST STORE IS OPEN.
I GOT TWO HEAD NODS FROM RODDY AND KIPP.
SO I THINK THAT'S THAT'S FAIR.
DID THEY KNOW THERE'S ALREADY BEEN?
[01:15:01]
YES, SIR.THERE'S ALREADY BEEN SITE, THEY SAID.
THERE'S ALREADY BEEN SITE PLANS APPROVED FOR A HANDFUL OF RETAILERS OUT THERE.
AND SO, UH, SO US DOING THE DIRT WORK IS THE FIRST STEP THE DEVELOPER HAS GOTTA GET THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN, AND THEN THEY COME ON TOP WITH PAD SITES.
AND SO THE D***S AND, UH, WHOLE FOODS, THAT'S A FOR SURE DEAL.
WE HAVE SIGNED LEASES WITH D***S AND WHOLE FOODS, AND THE RISK FOR THE DEVELOPER IS IF DICK'S AND WHOLE FOODS DOESN'T OPEN, THERE'S NOT A SINGLE PENNY OF INCENTIVE PAID TO THE DEVELOPER.
SO I, I GIVE YOU, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, UH, THE DICK'S SPORTING GOODS, I SAID 40,000.
IT SHOWS A 50,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING.
THE, UH, WHOLE FOODS IS A 35,500 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING.
SO THEY'RE SIGNIFICANT AND THEY'RE ALSO SIGNIFICANT TO KEEPING ALL OUR TENANTS IN THE BOAT.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT BE BEFORE YOU STEP UP.
WE HAVE A ISSUE IN THE, THE AGREEMENT AS IT'S WRITTEN THAT MAY CAUSE US TO, TO HAVE TO DO SOME CLEANUP LANGUAGE HERE.
SO MAYOR AND COUNSEL, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT AS THE CONTRACT IS WRITTEN NOW FOR SUBSTITUTE RETAILERS, BARNES AND NOBLE IS THE ONLY ONE WHERE SUBSTITUTION IS ALLOWED.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF TODD, IF IT SEEMED LIKE MAYBE THAT WASN'T THE SAME THING YOU WERE COMMUNICATING, SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
UH, COULD YOU SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME? I APOLOGIZE.
I HEARD WHAT YOU SAID, BUT WOULD YOU MIND WHILE I, I'M PULLING UP THE AGREEMENT, HAVE WE? SURE.
UH, SO PAGE SIX, UM, SECTION SEVEN C, THE VERY LAST SENTENCE SAYS, BARNES AND NOBLE IS THE ONLY SUB TARGETED RETAILER FOR WHICH SUBSTITUTION IS ALLOWED UNLESS OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR IN THIS AGREEMENT.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR.
SO DOES THE AGREEMENT NOT SAY SOMETHING ABOUT YEAH, SO SUBSTITUTES WITH OUR AGREEMENT.
SO WHAT I THINK, UH, MS. SAWYER, THAT IN SEVEN A AND SEVEN B IN THE AGREEMENT IS THAT WHAT IN OUR, AND I'LL LOOK TO MR. KRIEGER, BUT OUR DISCUSSION WAS, WELL, WHAT HAPPENS IF RODDY COMES IN? I'LL JUST USE REAL WORLD EXAMPLES AND SAYS, OKAY, UH, WORLD MARKET IS ALSO 35,000 SQUARE, I'LL SAY BARNES AND NOBLE, 24,000 SQUARE FEET, AND THEY'RE 3.6 MILLION IN ANNUAL SALES, WHICH IS THAT THE ESTIMATED ANNUAL SALES AS BARNES AND NOBLE PER GOOGLE.
SO THE IDEA IN OUR NEGOTIATE, NOT NEGOTIATION DISCUSSION IS, WELL, WHAT IF RODDY COMES TO AJ AND SAYS, HEY, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, WE'RE THINKING THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD BRING IN A WORLD MARKET.
WOULD YOU GUYS BE WILLING TO CONSIDER THAT? AND THE IDEA IS, WELL, WE NEED TO GO BACK TO A MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
AND SO THE DISCUSSION WAS, WELL, THAT SEEMS PRETTY CUMBERSOME IF WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP MOVING.
AND SO WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE DOING WAS IDENTIFYING ONE THAT'S ALREADY IDENTIFIED AS A POTENTIAL SUBSTITUTE.
IT WOULD BE BARNES NOBLE, BUT OTHER ONES HAVE THE ABILITY FOR THAT TO BE A DISCUSSION SUBJECT TO YOUR MODIFICATION OF THE AGREEMENT GOING FORWARD.
IT WAS JUST ONE THAT, BECAUSE WE KNEW WE ONLY HAD A LETTER OF INTENT WITH THEM, LIKE, LET'S GO AHEAD AND IDENTIFY THEM AND JUST BE PRAGMATIC WITH IT.
IT DIDN'T MEAN THEY WERE THE ONLY ONE THAT WERE ALLOWED, IT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT WERE, AND MR. KRIEGER, IF I SAID THAT WRONG OR MISREPRESENT ANYTHING, PLEASE CORRECT ME.
NO, I THINK YOU SAID IT RIGHT.
I, I MEAN, JUST FOR THE PURPOSE OF, OF CLARITY FOR EVERYBODY, UH, THIS SAYS BARNES AND NOBLE SHALL BE THE ONLY TARGETED RETAILER FOR WHICH SUBSTITUTION IS ALLOWED UNLESS OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR IN THIS AGREEMENT.
THE OTHER PROCESS TO, UH, PROPOSE, UH, A SUBSTITUTE, UH, RETAILER WOULD REQUIRE, UH, THIS EPA, UH, EPWA, UH, BOARD, UH, BOARD'S APPROVAL.
SO BASICALLY ANYONE OTHER THAN THAT, WE'D HAVE TO COME BACK TO HERE.
YES, THAT, THAT WAS OUR, THAT WAS THE ATTEMPT.
I'M SORRY, MS. SORRY, I INTERRUPTED YOU.
AND YEAH, THE AGREEMENT ITSELF WOULD'VE TO BE AMENDED, RIGHT? OKAY.
ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS? OH, YES, MR. WILSON.
UM, AND I WILL NOT BE AS ELOQUENT AS EITHER OF THOSE FORMER SPEAKERS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO, AND I'M NOT GONNA SPEND A LOT OF TIME OF THE FOR OR AGAINST, 'CAUSE IT SOUNDED LIKE AT THE LAST PRESENTATION, WHICH I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU DOING IT BECAUSE THIS IS A FAST AGREEMENT FOR $17 MILLION TO COME FROM TWO WEEKS TO THIS WEEK BECAUSE
[01:20:01]
THERE WAS NO STRATEGY.NOW, I HEARD MCKENNA, ATTORNEY MCKENNA SPEAK TO THAT, BUT THEY DIDN'T PARK THE FUNDS, THEY DIDN'T MOVE THE FUNDS OVER LIKE YOU DID ON THE, ON THE PARKS.
SO IF THE STRATEGY WAS TO HAVE $40 MILLION IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THIS 40 MILLION SHOULD HAVE BEEN SITTING OVER THERE, OR THIS 17 MILLION ON THAT CALCULATION TOO, ON THE PRESENTATION OF THE MOVING OF THE MONEY.
THERE WILL NOT BE 91 MILLION LEFT IN THE PARK OR THE ELECTRIC FUND AFTERWARDS.
BASED ON WHAT WE HEARD TWO WEEKS AGO FROM THE DIRECTOR OF THAT DEPARTMENT, IT'LL BE CLOSER TO 50 MILLION.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU NOTICE THAT RELATIVE TO THOSE TWO THINGS.
ONE QUESTION I ALSO HAVE IS, WHY WAS IT NOT SET UP AS A PERCENTAGE? WHY, WHAT 'CAUSE THE CITY, WHY WAS IT NOT A, WE PAY WHEN SALES TAX GOES? SO I, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS WHO PUSHED IT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, BUT THAT'S ILLOGICAL TO ME BECAUSE IF THEY'RE ABLE TO DO THE SALES TAX, LET 'EM HAVE A PERCENTAGE OF IT, BUT THE CITY EARNS ITS HALF.
IF IT WERE GONNA DO A STRATEGY AND WANTED TO GIVE AWAY THAT MUCH MONEY RELATIVE TO DOING THAT, I WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND RELATIVE TO DISCUSSION RELATIVE, WHY WOULD YOU NOT CLEAN UP ALL LEGAL AFFAIRS RELATIVE TO THAT LOCATION? SO THAT'S A QUESTION I WOULD ASK FROM A PUBLIC PERSPECTIVE.
WHAT IS THE STRATEGY FOR THE REST OF IT? BECAUSE THIS IS 250,000 ACRES OR UH, SQUARE FEET.
ARE THEY ELIGIBLE TO COME BACK OR ARE THEY WAIVING THE RIGHT FOR THE REST OF THAT? MAYBE NOT.
MAYBE WHAT PORTION IS, BUT WHAT'S THE MATH QUESTION? OR DO WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND FIND OTHER FUNDS THAT WE REALLY DON'T HAVE TO GO FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS WE WORK THROUGH THOSE? I DIDN'T SPEAK JUST OF BOOKS, BUT WHAT ABOUT CREST? THEY'RE THE ONES THAT REALLY STUCK IT OUT THERE.
WHAT ABOUT ALL THE OTHER RETAILERS? 'CAUSE STRATEGY IS SAYING NEW AND SHINY, WE LIKE YOU.
THE 20% OF UNFILLED BUILDINGS THAT EXIST IN THE CITY WILL WORK ON YOU LATER BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT POLITICALLY CONNECTED.
SIX, ALL OF IT IS PAID IN YEAR.
ONE OF THE ECONOMICS NOT SHARED AS THE MONEY COMES IN.
SHIELDS, MAYBE WHEN THEY WENT UP THERE, IF THEY SAID, HEY, WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU TWICE OF OKLAHOMA CITY, THAT MAY HAVE SHIFTED SHIELDS.
UH, MAYBE THEY DID OR DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEY HAD TWICE.
SO THIS IS TWICE THE AMOUNT OF SHIELDS FOR THE SAME AMOUNT OF SALES TAX NOT PAID OUT OVER TIME.
WHAT DID OKLAHOMA CITY DO? WRITE STRATEGY? 875,000 PER YEAR.
SO IT'S PAID OUT AS THEY EARN IT.
THIS A HUNDRED PERCENT GOES UP THERE AND I KNOW IT'S GOING TO THE DEVELOPER, BUT THE DEVELOPER'S GONNA BE FORCED TO SUBSIDIZE, AS YOU HEARD TWO WEEKS AGO, GONNA BE FORCED TO SUBSIDIZE THE LEASE FOR WHOLE FOODS.
SO IT MAY NOT BE WANTING TO GO TO BEZOS, BUT HE'S GOING TO GET HIS PIECE BECAUSE THAT WOULDN'T MATH WISE WORK UNLESS THERE'S SOME, UH, OTHER WAYS TO DO THAT.
BUT THAT'S WHAT I WOULD ANTICIPATE.
AND WHAT STRATEGY FROM A CITY IS THIS? DOES THIS THE SAME CONVERSATION, I CAN'T SAY OF 33RD AND BROADWAY, IS THIS INTERSECTION GONNA LOOK LIKE THAT IN 20 YEARS WHERE WE HAVE ALL THE OPENINGS WITHIN THOSE STRUCTURES? I BELIEVE THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
ANY ANYONE ELSE? UH, GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME'S CHARLES MOLES, UH, ADDRESS 9 21 DOVER DRIVE.
UM, ONE THING THAT CONCERNS ME ABOUT THIS IS THE BARNES AND NOBLE STORE COMING HERE AND THE PRESSURE IT'S GONNA PUT ON OUR EXISTING, UH, UH, MOM AND POP RETAILERS.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO SEE IF YOU COULD DELAY THIS AT LEAST ONE MEETING TO GIVE THE DEVELOPER SOME TIME.
IF BARNES AND NOBLE CAN BE SUBSTITUTED, COULD THEY COME BACK IN THE NEXT MEETING AND SEE IF THEY'VE GOT ANOTHER RETAILER THAT COULD COME IN HERE? I DON'T KNOW WHO TO SUGGEST.
MAYBE, UH, UH, TRADER JOE'S OR SOMEBODY, SOMETHING THAT MIGHT COME IN HERE THAT TOOK, WOULD TAKE THAT SPOT.
SO I REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO FOSTER AND MAINTAIN OUR MOM AND POP SHOPS THAT WE HAVE.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT MAKE EDMOND SPECIAL.
OTHERWISE, WE LOOK LIKE EVERY OTHER SUBURB, SUBURB ANYWHERE ON ANY I ON ANY INTERSTATE, ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO WHAT YOU CAN TO PROTECT THE MOM AND POPS.
AND ALSO, I BELIEVE WE HAVE A BARNES AND NOBLE AT UCO AND WE HAVE A BARNES AND NOBLE OUT AT, UH, SPRING CREEK
[01:25:01]
ALREADY.SO IF THERE'S ANOTHER RETAILER THAT'S NOT IN THE AREA, WE REALLY WANNA BRING THEM IN BECAUSE THEY WILL BRING CUSTOMERS TO EDMOND FROM SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
IF WE BRING IN A A RETAILER THAT'S ALREADY ESTABLISHED IN THE METRO, WE'RE NOT, PROBABLY NOT GONNA PULL THE PEOPLE FROM THE ADDITIONAL CITIES TO EDMOND TO SPEND THEIR RETAIL DOLLARS AND LEAVE THEM WITH US.
SO I WOULD REQUEST THAT YOU HOLD OFF ON THIS AND SEE IF WE CAN FIND SOME BETTER RETAILER TO PUT IN THAT SPOT INTO INSTEAD OF THE BARNES AND NOBLE.
MAY I SAY SOMETHING? YES, SIR.
THANK YOU MR. MOLES FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
WE WERE TAP DANCING AROUND ABOUT THIS BARNES AND NOBLE.
SOMEBODY STAND UP FROM THE APPLICANT'S SIDE AND JUST SAY THAT YOU'RE GONNA DRAW A LINE THROUGH BARNES AND NOBLE AND MOVE ON AND GO TO SOMETHING ELSE.
IT SAYS OR A SUBSTITUTE FIND A SUBSTITUTE.
I DIDN'T THINK I INTERRUPTED YOU.
SO I GUESS I'D ASK IT TWO WAYS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WELL, LEMME ASK YOU THIS QUESTION.
FIRST OF ALL, LEMME SAY THIS, I I'M NOT GONNA CONTINUE.
I DON'T, I'M NOT GONNA VOTE TO CONTINUE THIS.
I'M READY TO EITHER DO IT OR NOT DO IT.
I'VE NEVER BEEN IN A WHOLE FOODS, DON'T PLAN ON GOING IN ONE.
THE CITIZENS OF EDMOND SEEM TO WANT ONE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO SOMETHING OUT THERE.
THE WIND'S HOWLING, THE DIRT'S BLOWING AROUND OUT THERE.
I DRIVE BY AT 15, 20 TIMES A WEEK.
I'M READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
BUT WE'RE HUNG UP ON A BOOKSTORE.
THOSE TWO GUYS ARE SITTING OVER YOUR SHOULDER THERE.
LOOK AT 'EM AND SEE IF THEY'LL DRAW A LINE THROUGH BARNES AND NOBLE.
I DON'T NEED, I DON'T NEED TO LOOK AT 'EM, COUNCILMAN.
I CAN SAY, ALL RIGHT, LET'S HAVE EIGHT TARGETED RETAILERS FOR 1.7 MILLION FOR 17 MILLION DIVIDED BY EIGHT INSTEAD OF DIVIDED BY NINE OR A SUBSTITUTE RETAILERS.
I DON'T WANNA BE HUNG IN EFFIGY OF THREE YEARS FROM NOW.
BARNES AND NOBLE OPENS AT COVAL 9 35 AND WE DIDN'T DO A NICKEL FORUM.
SO WE CAN'T HAVE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN YOU AND US TO LIMIT TRADE IN THE MARKETPLACE.
THAT'S AN ANTITRUST VIOLATION.
SO I CAN'T STAND HERE AND SAY WE WILL AGREE WITH THE CITY OF EDMOND TO FORECLOSE OUR CITY FROM BARNES AND NOBLE.
THAT WOULD, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, THAT WOULD BE BANANAS.
BUT IF YOU
I'M SAYING IN WHAT I'M LOOKING AT BARNES AND NOBLE OR SUBSTITUTE RETAILER, FIND A SUBSTITUTE RETAILER.
AND WE'RE FINE TO IDENTIFY WHO THOSE ARE.
I'M FINE ELIMINATING BARNES AND NOBLE AND SAYING WE HAVE EIGHT DIVIDED BY 17 MILLION DIVIDED BY EIGHT.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BRING SO MUCH MORE RETAIL SQUARE FOOTAGE AND DOLLAR VALUES THAN THESE SEVEN OR EIGHT OR NINE.
WE STARTED WITH ONE POINT, WE HAD 10, ONE POINT, WE HAD EIGHT IN OUR DOCUMENT.
I DON'T REMEMBER THE SAUSAGE MAKING THAT GOT US TO NINE, BUT IT WAS A DIALOGUE OF THE LIQUIDY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS EITHER.
I'M JUST TELLING YOU WHAT I'M ASKING FOR.
WELL, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT I'M, I'M HAPPY TO DO ONE OF TWO THINGS.
EITHER WE ELIMINATE BARNES AND NOBLE AND WE STILL HAVE THE $17 MILLION, OR WE SAY THAT WE'LL COME UP WITH THE SUBSTITUTE FOR BARNES AND NOBLE AND WE'LL COMMUNICATE IT TO MR. KRIEGER AND WE'LL TRY TO COME UP WITH A NUMBER THAT EQUALS 3.6 MILLION IN ANNUAL SALES.
SO WE KNOW WE'RE GETTING THE SAME BARGAIN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS HOPING TO HEAR.
I THINK ONE THING THAT'S IMPORTANT, IT'S GOTTA BE SOMEBODY, IF, IF THERE'S AN OPTION, AND, AND I THINK I'VE HEARD THAT THEY'RE OPEN TO AN OPTION.
WE'RE NOT GONNA CUT THE CASEY'S FOOD STORE OR SOMETHING.
IT CAN'T BE FRAMES COOKIE SHOP.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE IN THE COOKIE BUSINESS, BUT IF YOU ARE THAT I COULD BE OKAY.
IF YOU GIVE ME, WELL, I KNOW THIS, THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY OF EDMOND HAS GONE ON FOR 21 PLUS YEARS.
IT'S BEEN MARKED BY TRANSPARENT AND OPEN COMMUNICATION.
SO WE WILL HAVE THAT DIALOGUE WITH MR. KRIEGER AND FULFILL THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT.
BEFORE CODY GETS UP, I, I JUST WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS INCENTIVE IS BIG AND, AND TO, TO SOMEONE'S POINT, THERE'S TIME VALUE OF MONEY.
YOU COULD DO THIS LIKE IT WAS DONE BEFORE ON A PERCENTAGE OF SALES TAX.
WHEN YOU DO SO BECAUSE OF THAT, IT'S A GREATER NUMBER AND A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.
OKAY? IT'S JUST THE WAY IT WORKS.
THE, THE INCENTIVE IS TO FILL A GAP.
NO TENANT IS GETTING MONEY OUT OF THIS.
IT'S, IT GOES TO HAVING THE DEVELOPMENT BE A POSSIBILITY.
THE IT, IT HELPS TO CREATE THIS, THIS DEVELOPMENT, I THINK WILL CREATE A GATEWAY, OUR PROBLEM.
AND, AND, AND WE CAN SLICE AND DICE AND SLICE AND CUT OUR BUDGET UMPTEEN TIMES.
OUR PROBLEM IS ON THE REVENUE SIDE,
[01:30:01]
THIS IS FROM NINE PRIORITY TENANTS, A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN SALES, ESTIMATED THAT'S 24% MORE THAN TWO OF OUR LARGER ACTIVITY RETAIL CENTERS IN THE CITY COMBINED, NOT INDIVIDUALLY COMBINED.THAT'S WHAT THIS MEANS IN TERMS OF THE POTENTIAL AND THE POSSIBILITY.
IT, IT'S THE FIRST THING, NOT JUST FROM THE KANSAS BORDER, FROM WICHITA DRIVING SOUTH, THAT YOU'RE GONNA RUN INTO RIGHT ON THE INTERSTATE.
WE WIN EXPONENTIALLY WHEN IT'S JUST NOT YOU AND ME SPENDING OUR MONEY.
BUT WHEN WE'RE ATTRACTING PEOPLE AND GETTING THEM TO STOP IN EDMOND, THIS IS A WAY TO DO THAT.
IT'S, IT'S ALSO THE, THE ROI ON THIS IS FOUR TO FIVE YEARS.
AND IT, IT'S, IT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST THE DIRECT IMPACT SALES TAX.
THE, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT IS $595 MILLION.
YOU CAN SNEEZE AT THAT IF YOU WANT.
IF, IF IT MAKES YOU GET YOUR HEAD WRAPPED AROUND IT BETTER.
I'M STILL GOOD WITH 250 MILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT.
AND WE'RE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT THE OVER TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS OF SALES TAX JUST FROM BUILDING MATERIALS.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE $400,000 JUST FROM RETAIL THAT WILL GO TO ELECTRIC REVENUE.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE $800,000 OF REVENUE THAT WILL GO TO WATER AND WASTEWATER.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T EVEN TALKED ABOUT THAT.
WHEN THIS IS BUILT OUT, THIS IS CLOSE TO $900,000 A YEAR TO THE EDMOND PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WHAT IS IT NOW? ABOUT 2000, 2,500 THAT RED DIRT.
SO IT, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY THAT, THAT, THAT DOESN'T COME AROUND OFTEN.
THIS IS BIGGER, HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE BIGGER THAN ANYTHING.
IN EDMOND, WE TALK ABOUT NINE PRIORITY TENANTS.
THE WAY THAT THE DYNAMICS OF THE MARKETPLACE, AND THOSE ARE THE ONLY ONES, THAT'S THE ONLY TIME INCENTIVES GET PAID.
BUT THE WAY THE DYNAMICS WORK, THERE WILL BE SEVERAL OF THOSE 25 TO 30 TENANTS THAT ARE BUILT OUT BEFORE THE NINE ARE FINISHED.
THAT'S DIRECT SALES TAX WHERE NO INCENTIVE IS BEING PAID TO THE RETAILER.
I MEAN, THIS, THIS IS, UM, THIS IS TRULY INVESTING IN OURSELVES.
IT'S TAKING REVENUES, PREVIOUSLY PRODUCED REVENUES, YES.
NOW, EDMOND ELECTRIC RESERVES, WHERE'D THEY COME FROM? WHERE'D THAT RESERVE COME FROM? PRODUCTION OF REVENUES, FROM ADMIN, ELECTRIC RATE PAYERS.
WE'RE TAKING IT AND WE'RE CASTING IT OUT TO PRODUCE EXPONENTIAL REVENUE DOLLARS AS OPPOSED TO WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
IT'S, IT, IT'S THE, UH, IT'S, IT'S HOW WE HAVE TO START THINKING.
AND, AND THE GOOD THING, YES, I KNOW IT'S 17 MILLION AND THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
I I'M NOT TRYING TO MINIMIZE THAT.
BUT, BUT I THINK THE WAY THIS IS DESIGNED, EVEN THOUGH IT'S MORE UPFRONT, IT'S MUCH, MUCH, MUCH LESS DOLLARS, LESS THAN HALF, LESS THAN A THIRD OF WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY AGREED TO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 50 TO $60 MILLION OF GIVE BACK SALES TAX REVENUE.
AND SO WHEN, WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT AND, AND SO THAT'S, THERE IS RISK, THERE IS RISK WITH ANY BUSINESS, TRANSACTIONAL OPERATIONAL DEAL.
IF YOU HAVE ANY THAT HAVE NO RISK, GIVE THEM TO ME ALL, I'LL TAKE EVERY ONE OF THEM, BUT I DON'T KNOW OF ANY, THIS HAS SOME RISK, BUT, BUT HOW DO YOU HANDLE RISK? YOU MINIMIZE THE EXPOSURE TO THE BEST YOU CAN.
HOW HAVE WE DONE THAT WITH STRINGENT DELIVERABLES THAT HAVE TO BE PRODUCED BY THE, BY THE PROJECT BEFORE ANYTHING IS PAID.
IF THE PROJECT DOESN'T HAPPEN, NOTHING GETS PAID.
IF ONLY PART OF THOSE NINE GET BUILT, ONLY PART OF THAT GETS PAID.
IT'S, IT'S MATH, IT'S PERFORMANCE BASED METRICS HOOKED UP WITH DELIVERABLES THAT HAVE TO BE PRESENTED AND COMPLETED BY THE PROJECT DEVELOPER OR ELSE NOTHING GETS PAID.
I I, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU LOCK IT DOWN MUCH BETTER THAN THAT AND, AND STILL BE IN A COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT.
YOU GUYS PROBABLY SAW, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT WORKSHOP.
[01:35:02]
WHAT DID THEY SAY? WHY, WHY IS THE TULSA COUNCIL APPROVING THAT MONEY UPFRONT BEFORE IKEA COMES? IT SAYS, BECAUSE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS A CONTACT SPORT.IT'S CONTACT IN THAT WE ARE COMPETING WITH CITIES OUR SIZE AND LARGER FOR AMENITIES THAT THE CITIZENS OF EDMOND WANT.
I WAS WITH A GROUP OF FRIENDS SATURDAY, AND ONE OF 'EM IN ALL SERIOUSLY SAID, ARE, ARE, ARE YOU INVOLVED IN THAT LEGACY AT COVELL PROJECT? AND I WENT, MAYBE SINCE 2015 WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THE EEDA.
SO YEAH, HE SAID, HOW IS THAT NOT A GREAT THING, HAVING THOSE THINGS IN EDMOND? YEAH.
DOES IT COST US A LITTLE? ARE WE BETTING ON OURSELVES? ARE WE INVESTING IN OURSELVES? BUT I, I THINK IN A PRUDENT WAY, WITH DELIVERABLES AND LOCKING DOWN PERFORMANCES THAT HAVE TO BE CARRIED OUT BEFORE ANY MONEY GOES OUT THE DOOR.
SO I, THERE'S SOMETHING ALSO, IT'S CALLED, YOU KNOW, EVERY DEVELOPMENT HAS THIS, I DIDN'T GET THIS FOR YEARS AND YEARS OF WHY? COME ON MR. BATES, LET'S MAKE THIS THING HAPPEN.
WELL, THAT WAS THE GEOGRAPHICAL CENTER OF EDMOND.
BUT IT WASN'T AS FAR AS DENSITY WAS CONCERNED, IT WASN'T AS FAR AS THESE MAJOR RETAILERS WERE CONCERNED.
WE NOW HAVE THE DENSITY, WE NOW HAVE THE, THE, THE RETAILERS AND THE RESTAURANTS WHO ARE RE ARE INTERESTED.
AND SO NOW WE'RE AT A POINT, AND, AND, AND EVERY PROJECT GETS TO THIS.
IT'S CALLED SPEED TO MARKET NOW, GET IT OPEN, MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT YOU GUYS TO DO.
UH, CODY BOYD, 2 3 0 EAST SEVENTH STREET IN EDMOND.
UH, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO MR. MCINNIS, I THINK I'LL WIN THE UNDERDRESSED, UH, OF, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S 90 DEGREES IN MARCH, I'M WEARING SHORTS.
THAT'S HOW IT'S, SO, UH, I KNOW I USUALLY COME TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT WALKABLE URBANISM AND, UH, DENSITY DOWNTOWN.
I KNOW THIS IS PROBABLY, SEEMS PRETTY FAR OUT THERE, BUT I THINK I COULD TIE IT IN.
UH, I WANNA SPEAK SPECIFICALLY AND NOT, NOT BELABOR POINTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE BECAUSE I I REALLY DO APPRECIATE, UH, THE ROBUST DISCUSSION ON THIS.
UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES ARE A TOOL IN TOOLBOX, AND THEY NEED TO BE USED CAUTIOUSLY AND WISELY, MAYBE EVEN SPARINGLY.
UM, I DO WANNA SPEAK FROM MY EXPERIENCE, UH, 10 YEARS WORKING AT THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND ON INTERSTATE AND, UH, ROADSIDE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ALL THROUGHOUT OKLAHOMA.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM, UH, HAS BROUGHT A LOT OF CHANGES AND, AND EVERY COMMUNITY THAT AN INTERSTATE GOES THROUGH HAS LOOKED AT WAYS TO TRY TO CAPITALIZE ON THAT.
UM, AND I, I WANNA TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WHAT THE CITY HAS DONE TO DO THAT.
UM, AND THEN WHY I THINK THAT THIS IS A GOOD, A GOOD AGREEMENT, UH, BY MY COUNT.
YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF EDMOND OVER SEVERAL MAYORS AND COUNCILS HAS INVESTED SIGNIFICANTLY IN INFRASTRUCTURE ON COVEL, UH, BY MY COUNT, ABOUT 51 MILLION IN IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CORRIDOR, UH, SINCE THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS.
UM, WITH THE GOAL OF SUPPORTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND MAKING THAT CORRIDOR AN ECONOMIC CORRIDOR.
UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING FROM THE, THE RAILROAD OVERPASS TO WHAT WE'VE SEEN, BEAR OUT AT KELLY AND COVELL WITH MITCH PARK, YMCA.
UM, AND THE THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN COME TO SOONER ROAD AND COVE.
YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T, DIDN'T INVEST THAT TYPE OF MONEY IN COVELL JUST TO MAKE CARS GO FAST.
IT WAS DONE INTENTIONALLY TO TO BEAR SOME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FRUITS THAT WILL HELP PAY BACK THE COST OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE AND OVER AND ABOVE WHAT IT COSTS TO BUILD THAT, UH, AND MAINTAIN THAT.
UM, IF YOU TRAVEL, WE TRAVEL TO WICHITA A LOT.
WE WERE THERE THIS LAST WEEK DURING SPRING BREAK TO SEE FAMILY.
AND WE ALMOST ALWAYS COME BACK AFTER DARK.
SO WHEN YOU LEAVE WICHITA, THERE IS A HOTEL AT HAYESVILLE.
THERE'S THE BIG CASINO AT MULVA.
UH, THERE'S A FEW SMALLER CASINOS AT BRAMAN AND TAWA IN NORTHERN OKLAHOMA.
UH, SOME TRUCK STOPS AT PERRY AND HIGHWAY 51 NEAR STILLWATER, UM, AND SOME FAST FOOD AND HOTELS AT GUTHRIE.
UM, EVEN WHAT'S BEING BUILT OUT AT WATERLOO, WHICH IS JUST OUTSIDE OF EDMOND CITY LIMITS, UH, WILL NOT LOOK MUCH LIKE THIS PROJECT.
AND THAT PROJECT THERE, UH, IS ACTUALLY SEVERELY CON, I WOULDN'T SAY SEVERELY, BUT IS SIGNIFICANTLY CONSTRAINED BY THE INTERCHANGE AT WATERLOO ROAD, WHICH HAS BEEN IN DESIGN AND HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK.
[01:40:01]
UM, NOT TO MENTION THAT WATERLOO'S A A TWO LANE STREET, UH, A LOT HAS TO BE DONE TO THAT INTERCHANGE TO MAKE THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY WANNA SEE THERE SUCCESSFUL.NOT TO MENTION THEY'RE OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS, SO THEY HAVE UTILITY ISSUES AS WELL.
AND, AND LOGAN COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO BUILD THE TYPE OF IMPROVEMENTS, UM, THAT THE CITY OF EDMOND DOES.
WHERE EDMOND IS POSITIONED WELL IS NOTHING HAS TO BE DONE TO THE COVE ROAD INTERCHANGE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE.
UH, THE COUNCIL'S INVESTED THE MONEY IN THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND THE TURN LANES, UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE FULL BUILD OUT THERE TO THE WEST THROUGH SOONER ROAD.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO BRING SHOPPING, DINING, FAMILY FRIENDLY ENTERTAINMENT, HOTELS, CONVENTION CENTER JOBS AND HOUSING ALTOGETHER IN ONE PLACE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HASN'T BEEN DISCUSSED TOO MUCH IN THIS MEETING, BUT WAS AT THE COUNCIL WORKSHOP THAT WITH A HUNDRED TOWN HOMES, UH, AT THE OAKS, UM, ON THE WEST SIDE, AND WITH 400, 500, I BELIEVE, UH, APARTMENTS, APARTMENT UNITS PLANNED, UH, ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF LEGACY OF COVELL, THAT ADDS TO THE POPULATION DENSITY OF THAT AREA SIGNIFICANTLY.
IT GETS HOUSING THAT'S DESPERATELY NEEDED, AND IT HAS THE POTENTIAL OVER GENERATIONS TO, TO MAKE THIS MORE OF A DISTRICT WHERE THERE'S MORE OPTIONS TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY IN THE SAME AREA.
UM, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF THESE ROADSIDE DEVELOPMENTS HAVE THAT YOU'LL SEE IN OTHER CITIES.
AND THEY'RE TRYING TO GO BACK AND RETROFIT THOSE AREAS TO PUT IN SOME OF THE HOUSING IN THESE GIANT PARKING LOTS, UH, ALONGSIDE RETAILERS.
THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DO THAT FROM THE START.
UH, YOU KNOW, I COMPARE THIS PROJECT A LOT TO THE HALF, WHICH IS ON BROADWAY AND WILSHIRE, AND IT'S NAMED THE HALF, BECAUSE IT'S HALFWAY BETWEEN EDMOND AND DOWNTOWN OKLAHOMA CITY.
UM, THEY, THEY DEVELOPED THAT KNOWING THAT WITH HOUSING, MEDICAL, AND THE DESTINATION ENTERTAINMENT OF FLIX AND ANDRETTI RACING AND CHICKEN AND PICKLE, THAT THEY WOULD PULL PEOPLE FROM, UH, A MUCH WIDER AREA THAN JUST THE IMMEDIATE AREA, INCLUDING UP TO, UH, INCLUDING EDMOND.
AND, AND FURTHER, UH, THIS DISTRICT COULD PULL FOLKS FROM SOUTHERN LOGAN COUNTY, GUTHRIE, STILLWATER, UM, AND BEYOND FROM THE NORTH.
AND I THINK IT HAS A GREAT POTENTIAL TO PULL FOLKS OFF OF I 44 TO GO NORTH ON I 35 INTO EDMOND.
UH, WHEN I GREW UP IN CHANDLER, THE PLACE TO GO WAS TO GO DOWN THE TURNPIKE, UH, TO MAYON MEMORIAL AND SPEND A LOT OF MONEY AT MAYON MEMORIAL, UH, IN QUAIL SPRINGS.
AND I THINK WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PULL FOLKS FROM FAR OUTSIDE EDMOND AND EVEN OUTSIDE THE METRO AREA TO I 35 IN COVELL TO BE THAT DESTINATION INSTEAD OF SENDING, YOU KNOW, MORE SALES TAX DOLLARS TO OKLAHOMA CITY'S MAPS BUDGET.
UH, SO AGAIN, I, UH, I SUPPORT THIS AND I, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CAREFUL DELIBERATION ABOUT IT.
'CAUSE $17 MILLION IS A LOT OF MONEY.
UH, AND IT COULD BE USED TO WIDEN INTERSECTION SURE, BUT THAT'S 100% COST, UH, AND PERPETUAL MAINTENANCE COST.
THE COUNCIL HAS SPENT THE MONEY TO DEVELOP COVELL, UH, AND AS OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED, IT COULD JUST AS EASILY BECOME TRUCK STOP AND FAST FOOD.
UH, LIKE EVERY OTHER INTERSTATE INTERCHANGE GOING TO THE NORTH, THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BRING SOME MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT IN AN AREA OF NORTH EDMOND.
UM, AND I THINK THAT COULD HELP SET THE PACE FOR THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT WE COULD SEE EVEN OUTSIDE OF A DOWNTOWN AREA, EVEN AROUND THE INTERSTATE, TO HAVE MIXED USE WHERE YOU HAVE JOBS, UH, SHOPPING AND DINING, UH, AND HOUSING ALL IN ONE AREA.
ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS? COME WHY NOT UP? HI, I AM SUSAN STARES, 3017 HIL STONE COURT IN EDMOND.
UM, I AM THE OWNER OF EDMOND MUSIC 33RD AND BROADWAY.
THAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, INTERSECTION OVER THERE.
UM, WE'VE BEEN A LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS AT THAT INTERSECTION FOR 52 YEARS.
SO, UM, VERY CONCERNED WITH, UH, MRS. BLACK'S PERSPECTIVE.
UM, BUT I DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT.
I CAME IN HERE VERY EXCITED, AND I STILL AM VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I DO THINK, UM, IT WOULD ACTUALLY LIFT ALL OF US UP, ALL OF THE SMALL BUSINESSES HERE IN EDMOND.
UM, AS SOMEONE ELSE MENTIONED, UM, I THINK IT'S GONNA BRING A LOT OF TRAFFIC INTERSTATE, UM, AS PEOPLE, UM, PASS THROUGH OKLAHOMA, IT'LL BRING THEM OFF OF THAT, UM, THAT LOCATION AT VALE AND I 35, AND THEN BRING THEM INTO EDMOND.
I'M GONNA SHOP AT BLUEBIRD BOOKS, NOT BARNES AND NOBLE ANYWAYS, BUT I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT'S GONNA DO.
IT'S GONNA BRING PEOPLE OFF OF THE HIGHWAY TO STOP IN EDMOND AND THEN BRING THEM THROUGH, UM, OUR CITY.
UM, SO I SEE THEM COMING UP BROADWAY THEN AND SEEING ALL THE FUN PLACES THAT THEY'RE ARE TO SHOP.
AND I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU ACTUALLY BUILD THIS LOCATION, THEN A LOT OF OTHER BUSINESSES ARE GONNA COME.
OUR STORES ARE PRETTY EMPTY DURING THE DAY IN EDMOND, SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE SHOPPERS THAT ARE IN EDMOND THAT THEY'RE THERE THROUGHOUT THAT DAY, AND, UM, CAN ACTUALLY COME IN AND SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES.
AND I THINK, UM, ONCE YOU KIND OF, IF YOU
[01:45:01]
BUILD IT, THEY'LL COME HOPEFULLY, UM, IF YOU PUT THIS IN PLACE, THEN I BELIEVE YOU'RE GONNA GET OTHER SUBSEQUENT BUSINESSES AS WELL.UM, I APPRECIATE THE TOUGH DECISION YOU GUYS ARE MAKING, AND THANK YOU.
ANYONE ELSE, LORI? YEAH, NO, IT'S NICE.
NO, I, I WANNA CLARIFY, AND ROBERT AND I WERE TALKING, WE'RE NOT AGAINST THE DEVELOPMENT AT ALL.
IN FACT, WE LIVE AT BRIAN AND COVE, AND THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE GO.
SO I JUST WANNA CLARIFY, AND I'VE GOT TO VISIT WITH ONE OF THE DEVELOPERS AT ONE OF OUR RESTAURANTS.
I JUST HAD TO SHARE, UH, THE CONCERN WHEN IT CAME TO JUST ONE OF OUR BUSINESSES.
ANYONE ELSE? ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL? I'LL MAKE A COMMENT.
I, YOU KNOW, THIS PROJECT, THE WORD LEGACY IS IN IT.
AND, UM, I THINK IT'S NOT, UM, WHEN WE SIT UP HERE, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT OUR LEGACY AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA LEAVE.
AND AS OUR, UM, ROLE IN CITY COUNCIL, IT'S A BIG, A BIG ROLE.
AND I HOPE THAT THE PUBLIC CAN, UM, APPRECIATE THE TENSION OF EXPLORING, UM, BIG THINGS LIKE THIS, INCENTIVES.
THIS IS A BIG DEAL FOR OUR CITY, AND I THINK I CAN HOLD EXCITEMENT FOR THIS.
AND ALSO A STRONG DESIRE, AS I'VE SAID MANY TIMES IN SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES.
AND, AND I PUT MY MONEY WHERE MY MOUTH IS.
AND, AND I THINK OUR COMMUNITY WILL KEEP DOING THAT.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO, TO JUST POINT OUT THAT THERE'S, THERE'S A TENSION IN A GROWING CITY, AND, UM, I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S VERY COMFORTABLE.
UM, BUT I DO, I FEEL, I FEEL READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH VOTING WHENEVER MY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE READY.
BUT, UM, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO POINT OUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS MOMENT, AND I'M REALLY HONORED TO BE PART OF IT.
MR. BOYD, YOU'RE A WISE FELLOW.
UH, THAT'S AN EYESORE OUT THERE.
BUT IN 12 TO 14 MONTHS, IT WON'T BE IN 12 TO 14 MONTHS, SOMEBODY CAN GO OUT THERE AND BUY A HEAD OF LETTUCE OR LUNCH FROM, OR I GUESS MAYBE A TENNIS RACKET AT DICK'S, BUT I'M JUST, UH, 12 TO 14 MONTHS.
CAN'T HAPPEN FAST ENOUGH, UH, TO GET THIS THING DONE.
AND IT'S, IT'S ALMOST SEVEN 20.
SO A YEAR FROM NOW AT SEVEN 20, TODD, I'M GONNA BE CALLING YOU AND YOU'RE GONNA TELL ME THAT, UH, UH, WE'RE TURNING THE KEY ON ONE OF THESE PLACES OUT THERE TOMORROW MORNING.
SO IN JUST A FEW MINUTES, THIS IS GONNA BE ON YOU AND RODDY AND KEPP AND OTHERS TO GET THIS GOING.
I THINK I'M GONNA, OH, OH, GO AHEAD.
I WAS JUST GONNA CALL THE QUESTION.
OH, NO, I, I'VE HEARD A LOT FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE OVER THE LAST WEEK OR SO SINCE OUR LAST, UH, WORKSHOP.
AND GLEN FISHER WITH EDMOND ELECTRIC HELPED ME UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE SHUTTING DOWN OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS AT EDMOND ELECTRIC.
UM, OUR FIVE YEAR PLAN IS IN, IS IN PLACE AND, AND IS OPERATIONAL.
AND WE'VE HEARD THINGS TALKING ABOUT EDMOND ELECTRIC NOT REALLY BEING A UTILITY COMPANY, AND WE'RE JUST USING IT TO STEAL MONEY FROM OUR CITIZENS TO DO THIS.
AND YET, NO, IT IS A REAL ELECTRIC COMPANY.
THE DIFFERENCE IS, IS THAT ALL OF US THAT PAY OUR ELECTRIC BILLS, ADMIN, ELECTRIC, ARE THE SHAREHOLDERS.
SO INSTEAD OF OG AND E SENDING DIVIDEND CHECKS TO THEIR SHAREHOLDERS, WE'RE THE SHAREHOLDERS AND WE'RE GONNA INVEST THAT MONEY IN OURSELVES.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN DOING.
WE HAVE TRIED ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS OVER THE YEARS.
I WAS ON EEDA WHEN WE SAID, LET'S DO THIS DEVELOPMENT AT I 35 AND COVE L COUNCILMAN FRAME.
HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN OFF OF EEDA NOW? I MEAN, THAT WAS WHEN WE'VE KICKED THE THING OFF IN 2012, I THINK WHEN WE SAID THAT.
AND DEVELOPERS ARE LOOKING AT EDMOND AND SAYING, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA GET SERIOUS ABOUT DEVELOPMENT? WHY DO THEY NOT WANT TO COME HERE?
[01:50:01]
WELL, EVERY DAY WE'RE HEARING NOW IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SERIOUS ABOUT IT.NOT BECAUSE WE'RE TOO DIFFICULT.
NOW WE'RE HEARING DEVELOPERS SAY THAT OKLAHOMA CITY IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DO BUSINESS WITH BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET ANY, GET IN TO TALK TO ANYBODY.
WE OUGHT TO HAVE AN ADVANTAGE AT THIS POINT, BUT WE GOTTA PROVE THAT WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE'VE TRIED DIFFERENT THINGS AND WE'VE SAT AND WE'VE WAITED AND WE'VE WAITED AND IT HASN'T COME.
THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO LAUNCH THIS THING.
AND YES, I THINK IT STARTS SOMETHING BIG.
IT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO START BRINGING IN DEVELOPMENT TO ENHANCE THE BROADWAY CORRIDOR, WHICH IS WHAT THE STERNS ARE INTERESTED IN.
IT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO FINISH OUT THAT ENTIRE AREA AT COVEL.
IT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO FINISH OUT SECOND STREET AND TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.
IF WE DON'T DO IT NOW, WE'RE JUST GONNA KEEP LOSING.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE PAID ATTENTION OVER THE LAST YEAR HAVE HEARD US SAY WE HAVE A SALES TAX LEAKAGE PROBLEM TO OKLAHOMA CITY.
WE'RE LEAKING OVER $20 MILLION A YEAR TO OKLAHOMA CITY, TO THE MEMORIAL ROAD CORRIDOR, AND NOW TO PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE AND MAY AVENUE, AND SOON IT'S GONNA BE, AND PORTLAND AVENUE, WE LOST OUT ON SHIELDS.
WHY? BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE.
WE APPARENTLY HAVE NOW LOST OUT ON IKEA IF ANYBODY HAD THAT IDEA, BECAUSE NOW THEY'RE GOING TO THE TULSA AREA.
SO AT WHAT POINT ARE WE GONNA GET INTO THE GAME? IT IS A CONTACT SPORT AS YOU HEARD EARLIER, AND WE'VE GOTTA INVEST IN OURSELVES.
IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN, NOW IS THE TIME, AND IT GENERATES THE MONEY TO GET IT BACK IN HERE.
IN OUR WORKSHOP THAT WE HAD, I MADE THE COMMENT, I WANT US TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO WHEN WE DO DEALS LIKE THIS THAT WE CAN PEEL OFF SOME SALES TAX REVENUE TO REPLENISH THE MONEY WE'RE INVESTING.
AND THAT'S GONNA TAKE US SITTING DOWN AND FIGURING OUT HOW WE DO THAT.
BECAUSE CURRENTLY WE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
BUT MR. CITY MANAGER, I WANT ALL THE HEADS PUT TOGETHER YOU, OUR LEGAL TEAM, PEOPLE SMARTER THAN ME TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WOULD TAKE WHEN WE DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
AND THAT MEANS IF WE GOTTA GO BACK AND GET A VOTE FROM THE PEOPLE, LET'S FIGURE IT OUT BECAUSE NOW IS THE TIME TO INVEST IN OURSELVES AND MOVE THIS THING FORWARD INSTEAD OF SITTING AROUND TALKING ABOUT IT FOR ANOTHER 15 YEARS.
MR. FRAME, YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING OR YOU JUST GONNA CALL THE QUESTION? I WAS JUST GONNA CALL THE QUESTION MAYOR.
I NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON A ON SEVEN A TWO.
MAYOR, I WOULD MOVE APPROVAL OF ITEM A.
THANK YOU MR. MAYOR, MAY WE RECESS AND RECONVENE AT 7:26 PM IS THAT A MOTION? THAT IS I SECOND IT.
GIVE YEAH, THERE YOUR MOTION PASSES.
WE'RE RECESSED TRYING TO SAY, WELL, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
AND THANK YOU FOR CUTTING THAT SHORT.
[8. Public Works Authority General Consent Items: Items listed under General Consent are usually approved as a group with the proper motion from a member of the Public Works Authority. Members of the Public Works Authority may pull any item under General Consent for separate discussion and/or action.]
ON ITEM EIGHT, PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY, GENERAL CONSENT ITEMS, AND I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO PULL ITEMS B AND C FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.SO WE ONLY HAVE ONE ITEM IN UNDER GENERAL CONSENT EIGHT A.
MR. MAYOR, I'D MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM EIGHT.
I'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND.
[01:55:02]
MAYBE FIVE.[9. Public Works Authority Discussion and Consideration Items: Items listed under Discussion and Consideration are usually discussed and considered individually, or by project, by members of the Public Works Authority.]
NINE, NINE A IS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER THOSE ITEMS. LET'S START OUT WITH EIGHT B.CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF FOURTH AMENDMENT TO AMENDED AND RESTATED SOLID WASTE TRANSFER AGREEMENT WITH ETS ENTERPRISES.
MR. KRIEGER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXPLAIN WHAT THIS IS, IS ALL ABOUT? UH, MAYOR AND COUNSEL, I HAD, UH, APPROACHED, UH, ETS LEADERSHIP ABOUT EXTENDING THE, UH, THE TIME PERIOD WITHIN WHICH WE COULD, UH, NEGOTIATE.
UM, THIS FIRST COUPLE MONTHS WE'VE HAD, OBVIOUSLY FOR ME IN MY TENURE, WE'VE HAD THE BUDGET.
WE'VE, UH, WE'RE BEGINNING NEGOTIATIONS WITH, UH, POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS, AND THEN WE HAD THE, UH, THE PREVIOUSLY VOTED ON ITEM THAT WE'RE ALL, UH, IN PROCESS.
AND I JUST WANTED A LITTLE MORE TIME TO A, UH, FULLY RESEARCH AND FULLY CONSIDER, UH, THE ITEM, UM, ASKED, UH, FOR AN EXTENSION.
THE, UH, THE ETS LEADERSHIP PROPOSED TWO YEARS.
I AGREED TO IT AND THAT'S WHY IT'S ON THE AGENDA.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM EXTENDING IT BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE ON A VERY SHORT DEADLINE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED YOU AND YOUR TEAM TO DIG IN VERY DEEPLY AND GIVE US NOT ONLY AN ANALYSIS OF COSTS AND BENEFITS, BUT I WANT OPTIONS.
I WANT, I WANNA KNOW WHAT ALL THE OPTIONS ARE.
I THINK TWO YEARS IS TOO LONG, BUT I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM PUSHING IT OUT, EVEN IF IT'S FOR A YEAR.
UM, SO WE CAN GET PAST IT, GET PAST EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND WE KNOW, KNOW THAT THAT WOULD MOVE IT OUT TO DECEMBER 31 OF 27.
YEAH, AND I WOULD JUST SAY IN FULL DISCLOSURE, I DID ASK THE, UM, UH, COUNSEL FOR ETS OWNERSHIP IF WE COULD CONSIDER, UH, A SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME.
AND I THINK THEY'RE IN AGREEMENT WITH ONE YEAR, PROBABLY NOT THEIR, NECESSARILY THEIR FIRST CHOICE, BUT THEY WOULD AGREE TO ONE YEAR.
AND THIS WOUND UP BEING A, UH, MAYBE A FUNNY WAY TO SAY IT.
UH, A CASUALTY OF OUR AMENDMENT PREP, OR I'M SORRY, OUR AGENDA PREPARATION PROCESS.
I NEEDED TO GET SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA BEFORE I, UH, KNEW THAT A SHORTER TIMEFRAME, UH, WOULD HAVE OR WAS ACCEPTABLE.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE ETS, UH, IS THAT A YEAR IS ACCEPTABLE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? CAN I GET A MOTION? DO WE CONTINUE IT OR DO WE MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE WITH A CHANGE? I THINK WE CAN DO IT EITHER WAY.
I JUST ASSUME I JUST WANNA GET IT OVER WITH YEAH.
JUST I JUST AMEND THE LANGUAGE.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM EIGHT B WITH THE CHANGE TO MAKE IT A ONE YEAR EXTENSION RATHER THAN A TWO YEAR EXTENSION.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND CAST.
WE'RE NOW ON ITEM EIGHT C, CONSIDERATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSAL AND APPROVAL OF AGREEMENT WITH AVION FOR UTILITY NETWORK CONVERSION FOR EDMOND ELECTRIC IN THE AMOUNT OF $738,650.
MR. WATERSON, OH, MR. FRAME? YEAH, JUST, JUST REAL QUICK.
WE WANTED TO POINT OUT WHEN I, WHEN I RECEIVED MY MEETING PACKET, I THOUGHT IT WAS CORRUPTED BECAUSE PAGES 1 67 TO 1 74 BLACKED OUT, REDACTED ALONG WITH THE COI, WHICH CITY CLERK WAS VERY GOOD TO INFORM ME.
THERE ARE SOME TIMES, UH, ESPECIALLY CERTAIN VENDORS CONSIDER A PORTION OF THEIR CONTRACT TO BE, UM, PROPRIETARY, FOR LACK OF BETTER WORD.
UM, IT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY HAVE ALL THE LEVERAGE, I GUESS.
BUT I, I JUST WANTED PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC, ANYBODY WHO GOT THE MEETING PACKET THAT SAW THOSE PAGES, IT WASN'T THAT WE WERE TRYING TO NOT BE TRANSPARENT, UH, IT WAS BLACKED OUT.
I DO HAVE A PROBLEM AND WISH WE WOULD PUSH BACK THOUGH.
THERE IS NOTHING PROPRIETARY ABOUT A-C-O-I-A CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LIST THE LIMITS OF LIABILITY AND ESPECIALLY PROFESSIONAL
[02:00:01]
LIABILITY FOR AN IT VENDOR ESPECIALLY.SO THAT WOULD BE MY ONLY REQUEST THAT NEXT TIME, GIVE AND TAKE A LITTLE BIT, BUT PUSH BACK ON THAT ONE.
YOU, WHAT'D YOU LIKE TO DO? NOW IT WAS REVIEWED THOUGH, RIGHT? IT, IT WAS REVIEWED, YES.
AND CITY CLERK COULD EVEN TELL ME LIMITS AND ALL THE FACTS AND FIGURES.
AND, AND, AND JUST TO CLARIFY FOR THE RECORD THAT THE, THE UNREDACTED COPY IS RETAINED IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, UH, UH, FILES AND IS AVAILABLE OBVIOUSLY UPON ANY COUNCIL MEMBER'S REQUEST.
UH, I WOULD, UH, THEREFORE MOVE APPROVAL, UH, WHATEVER, EIGHT C SECOND.
I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND CAST YOUR VOTE.
[10. Adjournment of the Edmond Public Works Authority Meeting and Reconvene the Edmond City Council Meeting.]
NOW ON ITEM 10, ADJOURNMENT OF THE EDMUND PUBLIC WORKS AUTHORITY MEETING AND RECONVENE THE EDMOND CITY COUNCIL MEETING.DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED, MR. MAYOR.
I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND CAST YOUR VOTE.
WE ARE BACK IN THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
[11. City Council General Consent Items: Items listed under General Consent are usually approved as a group with the proper motion from a member of the Council. Members of the Council may pull any item under General Consent for separate discussion and/or action.]
11, CITY COUNCIL GENERAL CONSENT ITEMS. THERE ARE 16 ITEMS THIS EVENING.UNLESS ANYONE WANTS TO PULL ANYTHING FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
SO MOVE MR. MAYOR, UH, THE, THE CITY COUNCIL CONSENT DOCKET.
I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND CAST YOUR VOTE.
WE ARE NOW ON ITEM 12, CITY COUNCIL.
DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION ITEMS. ITEM 12 A IS CONSIDERATION OF ANY ITEMS PULLED.
[B. Consideration of Acceptance of Bid, Authorizing the Mayor to Execute a Contract, and Approval of Resolution No. 09-26 Appointing Purchasing for Covell Road and Air Depot Street Improvements for Engineering; $1,287,597.40. (Citywide)]
CONSIDERATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF BID AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT AND APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 0 9 2 DASH TWO SIX APPOINTING PURCHASING FOR COVE ROAD, AIR DEPOT STREET IMPROVEMENTS FOR ENGINEERING IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,287,597 AND 40 CENTS.STEVEN LAWRENCE, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING.
UM, SO THIS PROJECT IS FOR AWARD OF CONSTRUCTION, UH, AN I WE CALL IT INTERIM PROJECT.
UH, IT'S IT'S ROAD WIDENING AND A SIGNAL PROJECT AT THE INTERSECTION OF COVAL AND AIR DEPOT.
UM, IT'S A DIRECT RESULT OF ALL THOSE HOUSES EAST BY 35 EVERYBODY'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT IN THE NEW SCHOOL.
UM, SO THE NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS PROJECTED TO OPEN IN AUGUST OF THIS YEAR.
UM, CURRENTLY THE CROSSINGS COMMUNITY CHURCH IS WIDENING, UH, IN FRONT OF, UM, THEIR PROPERTY ON COBELL AS WELL AS AIR DEPOT.
UM, SO THIS PROJECT THAT WE HAVE WILL WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT.
UH, BASICALLY ADDING A LEFT TURN LANE IN EACH DIRECTION, UH, AS WELL AS A SIGNAL WE KNOW THAT WE CAN GET, WE FEEL STRONGLY WE CAN GET THE LEFT TURN LANES IN PLACE PRIOR TO SCHOOL, STARTING WITH OUR GOAL IS TO ALSO HAVE THE SIGNAL, UH, IN PLACE AS WELL TO HELP WITH TRAFFIC WHEN THE SCHOOL STARTS OUT.
SO, MR. LAWRENCE, YOU'RE SAYING SIGNAL, RIGHT? YES.
UM, IT'LL BE VERY SIMILAR TO COVAL AND BRYANT COVAL AND, UH, THE OTHER INTERSECTIONS WHERE WE'VE PUT IN KIND OF INTERIM, UH, IMPROVEMENTS, UH, WITH THE HOPE THAT IT'LL, UH, BUY US ABOUT FIVE YEARS TO, UH, GET OUT THERE WITH, UH, A FULL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT TO COMPLETELY WIDENED INTERSECTION.
WELL, THERE WILL BE A LOT OF CITIZENS OUT EAST, VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT SIGNAL AND THAT THOSE WIDENINGS AND THOSE TURN LANES.
IS THE TWO QUESTIONS, ARE THE LEFT TURN LANES GOING IN EVERY DIRECTION OR IS IT JUST GOING EAST AND SOUTH? THERE WILL BE LEFT TURN LANES IN EVERY DIRECTION.
AND THEN I, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS COMING OUTTA CIP, BUT I DIDN'T SEE A NOTE THAT CIP HAD REVIEWED OR THAT IT WAS BUDGETED.
YEAH, SO WE HAD TALKED ABOUT IT WITH THE CIP ADVISORY BOARD, UM, WHEN WE HAD OPENED A, UH, PROJECT FOR A SIMILAR SIGNAL AT SOONER.
AND, UH, AND DANFORTH AND, UH, WE LOOKED AT WITH THEM THE ABILITY TO TRY TO DO A CHANGE ORDER AND, UH, ADD THIS PROJECT TO THAT.
UM, HOWEVER, WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE PROJECT, THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
THE EAST LEG OF THE INTERSECTION DROPS OFF DRAMATICALLY.
SO WE HAVE TO RAISE IT UP QUITE A BIT.
UM, SO WE HAD TO ACTUALLY DO AN A PROJECT.
UM, AND SO THIS WAS BUDGETED THROUGH THE, UH, STREETS FOR OUR PROGRAM, THE, THE PAVEMENT RE REHABILITATION, RE RECONSTRUCTION REPLACEMENT.
[02:05:01]
THAT'S THE FUND THAT WE'RE UTILIZING FOR THIS.SO IT'S ALREADY IN THE CIP PLAN? YES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WHAT DO YOU WANNA DO, MR. MAYOR? I WOULD GLADLY MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 12 B.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
[C. Consideration of Acceptance of Bid, Authorizing the Mayor to Execute a Contract for the Construction of Fire Vehicle Maintenance Building Project, and Approval of Resolution No. 10-26 Appointing Purchasing Agent with Skybridge Construction LLC. for the Fire Department; $1,490,000.00. (Citywide)]
C.CONSIDERATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF BID AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE VEHICLE MAINTENANCE BUILDING PROJECT AND APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 10 DASH TWO SIX.
APPOINTING A PURCHASING AGENT WITH SKYBRIDGE CONSTRUCTION, LLC FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,490,000.
AND THIS PROJECT BEGAN IN 2024 WITH AN APPLICATION FOR A 50 50 ARP GRANT.
SO HALF THE MONEY WOULD BE REFUNDED TO US AFTER THE PROJECT IS OVER.
IT WOULD PROVIDE US WITH A 5,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY WITH APPROPRIATE SIZE BAYS AND A CLASSROOM FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLE TECHNICIANS.
AND IT WILL REQUIRE ZERO NEW PERSONNEL.
IT WOULD FREE UP MULTIPLE BAYS IN THE CURRENT FLEET MAINTENANCE FACILITY THAT IS CURRENTLY AT CAPACITY AS JUST ONE OF OUR FIRE TRUCKS CAN TAKE AT LEAST TWO BAYS, IF NOT THREE LADDER TRUCKS TAKE THREE.
AND THEY CAN HOLD THAT BAY FOR DAYS AND WEEKS UNTIL THE PARTS ARRIVE, SO NOBODY ELSE CAN GET THEIR VEHICLES IN THERE AND GET THEM SERVICED.
SO IT WOULD GIVE THE FLEET MAINTENANCE FACILITIES SOME MUCH NEEDED BREATHING ROOM WHILE ALLOWING FOR DEDICATED SPACE FOR OUR FIRE FLEET TO RECEIVE QUICK REPAIRS AND ROBUST MAINTENANCE.
IT WOULD ALSO PROVIDE FOR AN EXIT ONTO AIR DEPOT AND A STAGING AREA, A LARGE STAGING AREA FOR EVENTS LIKE THE LARGE WILDFIRES THAT HAPPENED LAST MARCH.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
DID YOU SAY IT WOULD NOT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL STAFF, EMPLOYEES, ANYBODY, PERSONNEL THAT YES, SIR.
THAT, UH, FROM OUR, OUR TEAMMATES IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT ASSURED US THAT IT WOULD NOT REQUIRE ANY NEW PERSONNEL.
HOW, HOW DOES THAT WORK? THAT WE'RE BUILDING A NEW BUILDING SOMEWHERE ELSE AND WE'RE MOVE, I GUESS THEN WE'RE MOVING EMPLOYEES FROM THE OTHER MAINTENANCE BARN TO HERE.
WHAT ARE THOSE EMPLOYEES DOING WHEN THEY'RE NOT WORKING ON YOUR EQUIPMENT? IF IT'S NOT GONNA REQUIRE ANY MORE EMPLOYEES? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
WELL, THE PACKET SAYS ADDITIONAL STAFF WILL NEED TO BE HIRED TO SUPPORT INCREASED CAPACITY.
UH, FROM VEHICLE MAINTENANCE, NOT FROM FIRE.
UM, AFTER SPEAKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS, THEY TOLD US THAT THEY WOULDN'T NEED NEW PEOPLE.
THEY SAID THEY WOULD JUST MOVE THOSE PEOPLE.
IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE LIKE A SATELLITE FACILITY OPENING UP APPROXIMATELY THREE BAYS AT THEIR CURRENT FACILITY.
YOU SAID WE'RE USING ARPA FUNDS FOR THIS? YES, SIR.
HOW LONG IS IT GONNA TAKE TO BUILD THIS BUILDING? IT SHOULD BE DONE BY JANUARY 1ST, 2027.
TO MEET THE GRANT REQUIREMENTS.
YOU DO UNDERSTAND THAT WITH ARPA MONEY MM-HMM
IF IT'S NOT DONE BY DECEMBER 31 MM-HMM
WE DON'T GET THE ARPA MONEY, SIR.
I MEAN, TO ME, I THINK WE'RE ALREADY LIVING PRETTY CLOSE WITH WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR FIRE FUNDS ANYWAY.
I MEAN, YOU'RE DOWN TO ALMOST NOTHING WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO WITH YOUR RESERVES.
I I WAS IN INITIALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.
I KNOW THERE'S BENEFIT TO FREEING UP SPACE AND WHAT YOU GUYS WANNA DO THERE.
JUST LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS, CHIEF, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE DO THIS RIGHT NOW.
HONESTLY, I HATE TO LOSE GRANT MONEY, BUT I UNDERSTAND WE'RE DOWN TO LIKE 500 K OF RESERVES.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE DO IT RIGHT NOW.
I THINK WE GOTTA PUMP THE BRAKES ON THIS MYSELF.
SO WHAT'S, TELL ME LOGISTICALLY MM-HMM.
MAINTAINING AS IS, WHAT'S THAT DUE TO YOUR OPERATIONS? WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEND EVERYTHING TO THE FLEET MAINTENANCE BUILDING.
AND I DON'T THINK BEING EMERGENCY VEHICLES, THEY'RE GONNA GET PRIORITY OVER OTHER CITY VEHICLES.
SO THOSE OTHER CITY VEHICLES WILL JUST HAVE TO WAIT LONGER IN LINE TO BE SERVICED.
AND THAT'S MY TAKE ON, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR PUBLIC WORKS, BUT I, I, CONNECTING THE DOTS, I SEE THAT HOW, HOW IT WOULD WORK.
[02:10:01]
I THINK THIS ONE'S, THIS ONE'S A TOUGH ONE, BUT IS, I MEAN, I'M FOR IT.TIMING WISE, I, I THINK WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE, THE FUNDING FOR FIRE.
I MEAN, WE GOT INTO THIS AT THE LAST WORKSHOP MOVING FORWARD, AND I THINK ALL THIS PLAYS INTO IT.
AND THE LAST THING I WANT TO DO IS SEE US COMMIT MORE.
IT HELPS YOU, BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN, IF THERE'S A PUSHBACK THAT NOW THEY WANT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO PAY FOR IT.
I I MEAN, EVEN BEFORE THE FIRE TRUCKS ARE OUT THERE, IF YOU TOUR THAT FACILITY, I HAVE NO CLUE HOW THEY GET THOSE VEHICLES MAINTAINED IN THAT LITTLE OF SPACE AND NUMBER OF BAYS.
I MEAN, IT'S, BUT YEAH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT CURRENTLY BILLED FOR FIRE APPARATUS.
'CAUSE JUST AN ENGINE TAKES UP TWO BAYS.
CHIEF, YOU'RE PRETTY SURE YOU CAN GET THIS THING BUTTONED UP BY DECEMBER 31ST.
I'M CONFIDENT I GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME.
IS IT AN OPTION TO USE LIKE SOME OTHER FUNDS THAN FIRE HERE? HAVE WE LOOKED AT THAT VEHICLE MAINTENANCE FUNDS OR SOMETHING? I DON'T KNOW.
I SEE THE NET BENEFIT I'M STILL STRUGGLING WITH WE'RE DOWN TO 450 K RESERVES.
I I THINK THERE MIGHT BE AN OPTION.
I CAN'T GIVE YOU TONIGHT WHAT A MENU WOULD LOOK LIKE OF ANY OF OPTIONS AND THE SPECIFIC DOLLAR AMOUNTS FROM EACH OF THEM.
I THINK THERE WOULD BE OPTIONS.
UM, BUT I CAN'T TELL YOU TONIGHT EXACTLY WHAT THAT WOULD BE.
BUT IF WE DELAY IT, DO WE MISS THE END OF THE YEAR? THAT'S RIGHT.
WELL, IF WE APPROVE IT, MAN, IT'S ON YOU.
COUNSEL MIGHT HAVE TO VOLUNTEER SOME CONSTRUCTION TIME OR SOMETHING.
CAN I JUST SAY THIS? UH, I NEED TO DO BE CAREFUL NEXT MEAL I HAVE AT A FIRE STATION,
BUT I THINK YOUR CONCERNS ARE VALID.
UM, UH, I THINK THAT, UM, I DON'T WANNA PUT YOU IN, UH, AN UNTENABLE SPOT, UH, PARTICULARLY KNOWING THE CHALLENGES WE FACE, UM, IN THE FIRE FUND.
UH, UH, A LOT OF WORK HAS GONE INTO THIS AND I'M, I'M, UH, I'M NOT OBLIVIOUS TO THAT AND I DON'T WANT TO DIMINISH A LOT OF EFFORT THAT'S GONE INTO IT, BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR RESERVATIONS.
I THINK IT'S REASONABLE, IF NOT ADVISABLE THAT YOU EITHER PULL THIS FROM THE AGENDA, NOT VOTE ON IT, OR, OR VOTED DOWN.
I, I APPRECIATE THE HONESTY THERE.
UM, I MEAN THAT'S THE CHALLENGE IN THIS MM-HMM
AND I'M JUST, I DON'T WANT TO GET THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ANY DEEPER INTO THIS MM-HMM
THAN WE ALREADY ARE UNTIL WE CAN TURN THE CORNER.
AND THE LAST THING I WANT IS SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO, TO, EVEN IF IT GETS DONE RIGHT MM-HMM
AND WE GET TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE ARPA MONEY, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I DON'T WANT TO HEAR FLEET MAINTENANCE SAY, WELL, WE SENT TWO GUYS OR EIGHT GUYS OR WHATEVER IT WAS OVER THERE, NOW WE NEED TO REPLACE 'EM OVER HERE.
THAT JUST TOTALLY DEFEATS WHAT WE'RE FACING AS AN ENTIRE GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'S, HOW DO WE MAKE THE NUMBERS WORK GOING INTO NEXT YEAR? UM, I HATE TO LEAVE GRANT FUNDING.
I'M A LITTLE CAUGHT OFF GUARD.
UM, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
I THINK YOU JUST SAID YOU COULD, WE COULD DIRECT YOU TO LOOK FOR SOMEWHERE ELSE FOR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE.
SOMETHING, BUT I DON'T, MAYBE I WOULD NEED TO HEAR FROM STAFF MORE TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS OF PULLING THIS FROM AGENDA OR I, I DON'T PLAN TO VOTE IT DOWN.
UM, SO CAN I ASK ONE MORE QUESTION? SO THE, IT SAYS TIMEFRAME IN THE WRITEUP HERE, CONTRACTOR AGREES TO COMPLETE 450 CALENDAR DAYS FROM THE DATE OF ISSUANCE, WHICH IS WELL OVER A YEAR.
[02:15:01]
IT'S MARCH, HOW DO WE GET THERE? BY DECEMBER, I BELIEVE, BECAUSE THIS IS PART OF A LARGER GRANT THAT, UM, THERE WAS A BURN BUILDING THAT WE ACTUALLY BROUGHT TO YOU GUYS A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.SO THE CLOCK HAS STARTED ON THAT FOUR 50 ALREADY.
AND IN ALL FAIRNESS, THIS THIS PROJECT AGAIN, UM, LIKE THE MANAGER SAID IT, THIS HAS STARTED A WHILE AGO BEFORE I GOT HERE.
SO WHEN I HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PLANE WAS ALREADY GOING DOWN THE RUNWAY.
AND, UH, THE NEED IS DEFINITELY THERE FOR THE FACILITY.
IT, IT DOES HELP FIRE, IT HELPS THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
AND WE JUST DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE GRANT FUNDS ON THE TABLE WITHOUT SERIOUS CONSIDERATION BEFORE NOT MOVING FORWARD.
SO, BUT I UNDERSTAND ALL YOUR CONCERNS AND I'LL SHARE THOSE.
MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONTINUE IT UNTIL WE HAVE A WAY WE CAN AFFORD IT.
WELL, I, IF WE CONTINUE IT AND THEN THE CLOCK'S RUNNING AND THAT PUTS A LITTLE, IT'D BE TWO WEEKS BEFORE WE COULD CONSIDER IT AGAIN.
SO WHAT INFORMATION ARE WE GONNA FIND OUT IN TWO WEEKS THAT WE DON'T KNOW TONIGHT? I THINK REALISTICALLY, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE MONEY FOR THIS FOR A WHILE, AND IT'S GONNA GET CONTINUED UNTIL WE FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE OUR FIRE FUND BALANCE, WHICH IT DOESN'T RIGHT NOW.
SO I, I THEN ON ENVISIONED, SORRY, I ENVISIONED IT BEING A LONGER TERM CONTINUOUS, BUT ON THE FLIP SIDE, WE'VE GOTTA GET THESE TRUCKS AND THESE APPARATUS, AS THEY CALL 'EM, MAINTAINED IN A TIMELY MANNER.
WELL, THEY'RE, TODAY, THIS IS HOW WE'RE OPERATING.
SO I'M SAYING THEY SHOULDN'T BE SECONDARY, AND IF THEY GOT THEIR OWN FACILITY, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO TEND TO 'EM.
I, WELL, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT SECONDARY NOW.
THEY, THEY HAVE PRIMARY NOW BECAUSE THEIR EMERGENCY VEHICLES WITH THE PROCESS WE USE TODAY.
TELL ME, CAN YOU GET THIS DONE BY THE END OF THE YEAR? I BELIEVE WE CAN.
I MEAN, IF IT STARTS RAINING LOCUSTS AND PLACES ON FIRE THAT'S UP YOUR ALLEY.
CAN YOU STILL GET THIS DONE WITH THAT OUTLOOK? I'M SORT OF HAVE MY DOUBTS
WELL, CHIEF, YOU MIGHT ELABORATE.
SO THERE ARE ELEMENTS ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION OF A BUILDING THAT WOULD BE RELATIVELY TIMELY, RELATIVELY QUICK.
I THINK THE QUESTION IS, CAN WE SURVIVE ON $450,000 OF RESERVES? THAT'S THE QUESTION.
AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES ME NERVOUS.
HOW MANY DAYS OF OPERATIONS DOES THAT COVER? 20.
I CAN GET YOU A BETTER ANSWER THAN THAT, BUT, UH, TAKE ME JUST A LITTLE BIT.
I COULD DIVIDE YOUR BUDGET BY 365, RIGHT? YEAH.
I THINK IT'S FINANCIALLY IRRESPONSIBLE.
A A, A SECOND AGO THE QUESTION WAS ASKED, WHAT WOULD WE LEARN OVER THE COURSE OF TWO WEEKS? UM, I COULD COME BACK, THE STAFF AND I COULD COME BACK WITH AN ALTERNATIVE WAY TO PAY FOR IT.
THAT WOULD FORCE US TO MAKE SOME ASSUMPTIONS.
UM, YOU MIGHT LOOK AT A PLAN IN TWO WEEKS AND SAY, THAT'S WORSE.
OR YOU MIGHT LOOK AT A PLAN IN A COUPLE WEEKS AND SAY, THAT'S BETTER.
UM, THERE'S NOT A TON OF MYSTERY ABOUT WHERE WE WOULD LOOK TO SOURCES.
WE WOULD LOOK TO, UM, A AS, AS ALTERNATIVES.
I, I'M NOT SURE I SEE A WAY TO FUND IT WITHOUT US USING AT LEAST SOME OF THE FIRE FUND VEHICLE MAINTENANCE SOURCE WHERE I WOULD LOOK PROBABLY FIRST LIMIT.
LET, LET ME ASK THIS QUESTION.
I MEAN, THIS IS FLEET MAINTENANCE, RIGHT? YES.
COULD WE NOT HANDLE THIS OUT OF THE FLEET MAINTENANCE RESERVE FUND? THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT IN THE FLEET FUND, THERE IS A, A FUND BALANCE, A SIZABLE FUND BALANCE THAT WITH THE COUNCIL'S, UH, APPROVAL, UH, COULD FUND THIS.
THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT THAT'S TRUE.
I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO OFF THE CUFF, UH, START NAMING FUNDS OR START NAMING FUNDING SOURCES WITHOUT SPENDING A LITTLE TIME RESEARCHING IT.
THAT SAID, WE KNOW THERE IS AN AMOUNT IN THE FLEET FUND THAT IS, UH, HAS BEEN PAID IN, UM, BY THE, UH, FIRE PUBLIC SAFETY FUND.
SO THERE'S AN, THERE'S A FUND BALANCE THAT IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT I BELIEVE WE COULD, WE COULD USE.
I MEAN, WHEN WE, WHEN WE LOOK AT IT FROM THAT ANGLE, THIS
[02:20:01]
IS A FLEET MAINTENANCE ISSUE ANYWAY.WE HAVE OVER THREE YEARS OF RESERVES OF OPERATING RESERVES IN OUR FLEET MAINTENANCE FUND.
I THINK THAT'D BE MUCH SMARTER.
MR. MAYOR, I I, I'VE GOT A, A THOUGHT HERE.
IF WE CONTINUE THIS FOR TWO WEEKS, THE CITY MANAGER FINDS FUNDING.
I DO WANT TO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THE, THE, THE ACCEPTANCE OF BIDS, WHAT TYPE OF TIMELINE WE'RE ON THERE.
BUT IF WE CAN GIVE OURSELVES TWO WEEKS, FIND OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING THAT MATCH UP, AND THEN WHERE ARE WE ON THE BIDS? I I DON'T WANNA LEAVE THAT GRANT MONEY ON THE TABLE.
I DON'T WANNA LEAVE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HANGING ON THE MAINTENANCE.
CAN WE GET ALL THIS WRAPPED UP IN TWO WEEKS? IT'S ACTUALLY, IT'S THREE WEEKS.
SO HERE, HERE'S ANOTHER QUESTION.
SO WE'VE GOT BIDS ON THIS ALREADY.
I'D LIKE TO GET AN ANSWER TO THAT FIRST QUESTION.
I KNOW THIS, THIS COMES TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED BIDS, CORRECT? YES.
AND LEGALLY WE HAVE BY STATE STATUTES 30 DAYS TO AWARD A BID OR HAVE FORMAL ACTION, UH, BY COUNSEL TO, UH, I THINK WE CAN GO HAVE UP TO 15 DAYS EXTENSION.
IS THAT RIGHT, MS. SAWYER? I THOUGHT IT WAS 60.
IS THAT WRONG? WHEN WERE BIDS OPEN? FEBRUARY 24TH.
I THINK WE, WE'VE GOT 30 DAYS LESS, EITHER WAY LESS THAN THREE WEEKS.
WITH FORMAL ACTION BY COUNSEL.
MR. MAYOR AND COUNSEL, MAY I MAKE A SUGGESTION? IF, IF YOU'RE INCLINED, I'M NOT SAYING YOU ARE OR AREN'T.
IF YOU ARE INCLINED TO VOTE FOR IT TO BEAT THE VARIOUS, UH, TIMELINES WE'RE UP AGAINST, THEN WHAT WE COULD DO IS COME BACK IN A COUPLE WEEKS.
WE COULD COME BACK IN THREE WEEKS WITH A DIFFERENT, UH, FUNDING PLAN, UM, TO PAY FOR IT.
AND HAVE YOU MEMORIALIZE THAT? DOES THAT GET OUR CONTRACTS? THE BIDS? SEE WHAT I MEAN? WHAT WE'D BASICALLY BE DOING IS TRANSFERRING MONEY OVER TO FUND IT.
WE COULD EITHER TRANSFER OR WE COULD JUST, UH, RENAME IT.
LET'S MAKE SURE ALL THE DOTS CONNECT HERE.
THREE WEEKS, FIND THE FUNDING SOURCE.
DO WE MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS ON THE CONTRACTS AND THE BIDS? IS THAT TOO SHORT? TOO LONG A TIMEFRAME? HE'S LOOKING AT DATES.
YEAH, I WAS LOOKING AT THE STATE STATUTES.
IT SAYS WITH, UH, BY FORMAL RECORDED ACTION OR FOR AND FOR GOOD, A GOOD CAUSE SHOWN, UM, YOU CAN DO EXTENSIONS.
SO I, I THINK, AND THAT WOULD BE UP TO CITY ATTORNEY TO DEFINE IT, BUT I THINK A FORMAL ACTION TO EXTEND IT, I THINK WE CAN EXTEND IT UP TO 90 DAYS.
WE'VE DONE THAT PREVIOUSLY ON A, ON A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT PROJECT.
UM, WE JUST HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO NOW I'M GONNA LOOK BACK AT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN AND SAY IF WE PUSH IT OUT TOO FAR, THOUGH, WE LOSE OUR ABILITY TO CAPTURE THE ARPA MONEY.
SO I MEAN, I, I, I THINK I'M WHERE MR. MOORE IS ON THIS SAYING, DO SOMETHING TONIGHT AND LET'S GET THIS THING ROLLING SO WE CAN, SO WE CAN, I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA ROLL THE DICE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF FOR SOME REASON WE ALL OF A SUDDEN HAVE 40 DAYS OF RAIN AND WE CAN'T GET THE THING FINISHED TO CAPTURE THE ARPA FUNDS, THAT WE HAVE A WAY TO PAY FOR IT.
CAN WE BUILD HALF OF IT AND SAY THAT'S ARPA
CHRISTIE BATTERSON, DIRECTOR OF HOUSING COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
I CAN SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THE GRANT THROUGH OKLAHOMA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 31ST.
IF WE WOULD CHOOSE NOT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PART OF THE PROJECT, WE'D HAVE TO GO BACK TO THEM WITH A SCOPE CHANGE.
THIS GRANT WAS APPROVED WITH THE ENTIRE PROJECT IN MIND.
THAT'S WHY IT SCORED SO WELL, BECAUSE OF THE TRAINING FACILITY AND WHAT IT WOULD BRING TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE'VE ALREADY BEEN RECEIVING REIMBURSEMENT FUNDS ON THIS, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD DO FOR THE REMAINING OF THE PROJECT THAT'S YET TO BE DETERMINED.
[02:25:03]
SO WHAT MOTION WOULD WE NEED TO MOVE IT FORWARD TONIGHT, WOULD WE SAY? 'CAUSE IT SAYS THE CONSIDERATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF BID, WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHERE THE FUNDING COMES FROM, AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT, WHICH HAS LITTLE TO DO WITH WHERE THE FUNDING COMES FROM, AND APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION APPOINTING THE PURCHASING AGENTS WITH SKYBRIDGE CONSTRUCTION.HOW DO WE, YOU'RE NODDING YOUR HEAD OVER THERE.
I MEAN, I WOULD OBVIOUSLY DEFER TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, BUT, UM, I BELIEVE YOU COULD MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEM AS IS WHILE ALSO HAVING FEEDBACK TO, UH, THE CITY MANAGER AND STAFF THAT WE COULD IDENTIFY AN ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEM AT THE NEXT MEETING FOR DISCUSSION OF FUNDING.
AS AS WRITTEN, I THINK THE ITEM IS WHAT YOU'RE WANTING TO TAKE ACTION ON, SO, OKAY.
AS CITY ATTORNEY, YOU, OH, I WAS GONNA, I WAS GONNA MAKE A MOTION, BUT I'LL WAIT.
THE CITY ATTORNEY, DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT? THAT PATH FORWARD WOULD WORK THAT WORK FOR YOU? WELL, I, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
OH, WELL, I THINK COREY WAS SAYING WE COULD APPROVE IT TONIGHT WITH AN ACTION TO FIGURE OUT THE FUNDING.
BASICALLY, I WAS TRYING TO NAIL DOWN WHAT THE ACTION NEEDED TO BE FOR US TO MOVE IT FORWARD.
SO, SO A MOTION TO APPROVE, DOES IT? ALRIGHT, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
CHIEF, YOU BETTER PUT SOME LIGHTS UP OUT THERE AND GET, START BUILDING THAT BUILDING.
I'M GONNA LEAVE RIGHT NOW, AND THANK YOU.
AND CHIEF, I SUGGEST YOU GET WITH, UH, THE CITY MANAGER AND LET'S FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GONNA FUND IT SO THAT WE DON'T TAKE ALL YOUR FUNDS AWAY.
YEAH, LET'S ADD THAT TO THE NEXT AGENDA.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEETING TO RESOLVE WHERE THE FUNDING'S COMING FROM.
[D. Discussion and Presentation of the Draft Mitch Park Master Plan. (Ward 4)]
D, DISCUSSION AND PRESENTATION OF THE DRAFT.THANKS FOR STICKING IT OUT FOR OUR PRESENTATION HERE ON THE MITCH PARK MASTER PLAN.
I JUST WANTED TO OFFER A FEW COMMENTS BEFORE I INTRODUCE, UH, THE CONSULTANT WHO WORKED ON THIS PROJECT.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE ANY DECISIONS TONIGHT.
YOU'VE ALREADY HAD TO MAKE A LOT OF DECISIONS.
WE'RE JUST WANT TO GET THIS OUT IN FRONT OF YOU BEFORE YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO ADOPT IT, TO, TO LOOK AT IT, TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, IF YOU DO HAVE FEEDBACK THAT YOU DON'T THINK OF HERE AT THIS MEETING, YOU CAN, YOU CAN SEND IT TO ME OR TO AJ AND AJ CAN SEND IT TO ME.
HOWEVER, OR IF YOU HEAR FROM THE CONSTITUENT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, WE HAVE, WE DO HAVE TIME TO TAKE FEEDBACK.
UM, THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT IS LOCATED ON A, ON THE PROJECT WEBSITE.
SO THERE'S A WHOLE WEBSITE JUST FOR THE MASTER PLAN THAT ANYBODY CAN VIEW.
I LINK THAT IN OUR WEEKLY UPDATE IF, IF YOU NEED TO FIND THAT.
UM, THIS IS PART OF THE COUNCIL STRATEGIC PLAN, SO WE'RE GONNA BE ACHIEVING ONE OF THOSE GOALS THAT WAS SET, NOT IN THE ONE THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO RECEIVE, BUT ON THE PREVIOUS ONE.
AND THEN JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, UM, A COUPLE YEARS AGO, THERE WAS INTEREST IN DEVELOPING SOME RECTANGULAR FIELDS, UH, OF SYNTHETIC TURF.
UM, THERE WAS A FEASIBILITY STUDY DONE IN SOME DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
LOOKED AT MITCH PARK, KIND OF ROSE AS ONE OF THE MORE LOGICAL LOCATIONS.
UM, THAT LED TO SOME QUESTIONS IS, IS HOW IS THAT GONNA AFFECT THE REST OF THE PARK? UM, IS THAT WHAT PEOPLE REALLY WANT AT, AT MITCH PARK? SO THAT, THAT KINDA LED US IN THIS DIRECTION OF THIS, OF THIS MASTER PLAN.
MITCH PARK IS INCREDIBLY BUSY.
IT'S INCREDIBLY, INCREDIBLY POPULAR.
UM, WE GET A LOT OF REQUESTS FOR, FOR DIFFERENT AMENITIES AND ACTIVITIES THERE, AND WE JUST FELT IT WAS A REALLY GOOD TIME TO, UM, GET OUT AND, AND DO SOME REALLY ROBUST PUBLIC OUTREACH, WHICH, WHICH I FEEL LIKE WE ACCOMPLISH WITH THIS.
AND, AND HE'LL GO OVER, UH, OVER THAT.
SO EXCITED TO PRESENT THE RESULTS.
I'M GONNA TURN THE TIME OVER TO VANCE HALL FROM TSW DESIGN TO, TO GO THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, FIRST TIME HERE IN FRONT OF YOU.
SO I'M VERY EXCITED TO, UH, PRESENT MITCH PART.
PLEASE MOVE THAT MICROPHONE RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR FRONT, RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.
AND DO I HAVE CONTROL HERE, OR IS IT COMING FROM ANOTHER SPACE? DO I NEED TO SAY MOVE SLIDE.
UH, FIRST BIG THANKS TO BRAD, RAINEY AND FRANK FOR REALLY HELPING US THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
WE HAD SOME GREAT BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL AS, UH, REALLY GOOD CITY INPUT.
SO, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THE PURPOSE OF THIS PLAN, UM, REALLY IS TO USE DATA-DRIVEN, UM, INFORMATION TO, UH, CREATE A PLAN THAT BOTH SOLVES ISSUES THAT ARE CURRENTLY INVOLVED AT THE PARK, AS WELL AS TO, UM, PROVIDE INPUT AND, UH, A RESPONSE TO WHAT THE PUBLIC ACTUALLY WANTS.
[02:30:01]
THE PARK ITSELF, ITSELF, AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, IS ABOUT 280 ACRES.A TON OF REALLY NICE AMENITIES, UM, THAT WAS DEVELOPED ABOUT IN THE 1990S.
AND AGAIN, UM, KIND OF REVAMPED IN 2006.
UM, AS WE LOOKED THROUGH THIS THING, I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WAS GOING ON WITH THIS PARK IS A LOT OF AMENITIES, UM, VERY DISCONNECTED, AND PEOPLE WERE HAVING, UH, A HARD TIME, UH, REALLY JUST GETTING FROM POINT TO A TO POINT B WITHOUT WALKING DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.
UM, AS WE DID GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, AGAIN, HUGE ROBUST, UM, KIND OF OUTREACH.
UH, WE HAD ABOUT 18 STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE INTERVIEWED, UM, THAT WERE DIRECT STAKEHOLDERS FOR THE, THE PROPERTY.
AGAIN, EVERYTHING WAS ONLINE, SO WE HAD ONLINE SURVEYS, UH, WHICH HAD OVER 1100, UH, RESPONDEES ON IT.
AND THEN ALL THE, UM, ACTIVITIES THAT WE DID PUBLICLY ALSO WENT ON TO THE WEBSITE, UM, FOR ENGAGEMENT.
UM, AND THAT HAS GONE ON UNTIL JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO.
UM, AS YOU LOOK AT THIS, REALLY AS WE HAD ALL THOSE RESPONSES COME IN, THIS, UM, WORD CHART DOWN BELOW REALLY PULLS ALL THOSE THINGS THAT THAT WERE SAID AND BRINGS THE MAIN ONES TO THE, TO THE TOP.
AND IF YOU'LL NOTICE HERE, AS WE WENT THROUGH TONS OF RESPONSE AND ENGAGEMENT, THE THING THAT CONTINUED TO COME BACK WAS NATURE'S TRAILS WALK AND THE BEAUTY AND LOVE FOR, UM, THAT ESCAPE POINT.
UM, PARTICIPATION IN, UM, USERS WITHIN THIS PARK, AGAIN, PROBABLY THE HIGHEST, UM, ACTIVE YMCA IN THE STATE.
UH, TONS OF USERS DAILY WITHIN THE PARK, BUT IT WAS FOUND THAT MOST OF YOUR USER ACTIVITY WAS BASED AROUND TRAILS, UM, AND KIND OF THE MULTI 5K, UM, USABILITY THROUGH THERE, EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMS FROM THE ROAD THAT BASEBALL WAS REALLY KIND OF DRIVING THE SHOW.
UM, AS WE WENT THROUGH BOTH OF OUR CONCEPTS, UM, IT DID COME BACK TO KIND OF THE SAME RESPONSE.
UH, THE THINGS THAT THE PEOPLE DID WANT WERE, UM, INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUNDS, UH, KAYAK AND FISHING DOCKS, UH, SPLASH PADS, AND THEN REALLY A FOCUS ON TRAILS.
AND THE SECOND ONE, THE SAME THING.
UH, KAYAK FISHING DOCK, UM, REALLY INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND PLAYS, UM, ADDITIONAL PLAYGROUND EXPERIENCES, AND THEN TRAILS.
SO FROM THAT, UH, EXTENSIVE PUBLIC FEEDBACK, UH, THIS IS FROM THE LUMINANCE, UM, CHRISTMAS ACTIVITY.
UH, AGAIN, GREAT, UM, INTERACTION, BOTH FROM YOUNG, ALL THE WAY TO OLD.
UM, AND WE CAME UP WITH THIS FINAL, UM, AMENITY PLAN.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THIS WHOLE THING WAS THE EXISTING 5K TRAIL THAT RAN ALONG THE SOUTH OF COVE ROAD REALLY HELPED TO CREATE, UM, DANGEROUS POSITIONS FOR BOTH THE RUNNERS AND, UM, PEOPLE COMING INTO THE SITE.
UH, THE 5K TRAIL ACTUALLY CROSSED THE STREET FIVE DIFFERENT TIMES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SITE, AND ANYONE COMING INTO THE SITE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO, UM, DECREASE, UM, WHERE THE FLAGGERS WERE FOR THE 5K.
SO AS WE TALKED TO MOST OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS, 5K ENDED UP BEING THE NUISANCE, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR EVENTS AT THE PARK.
THE PARK IS REALLY AN AMAZING SPACE BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF THE FEW PARK SPACES THAT YOU CAN HAVE AN ENTIRE 5K RUN INTERNALLY WITHIN THE PARK.
AND SO THE, THE PLAN WAS TO READDRESS THE 5K TO REALLY HELP STRING TOGETHER ALL THESE LOST AMENITIES THAT ARE OUT, THAT ARE THROUGHOUT THE PARK.
SO JUST SOUTH OF THE SENIOR CITIZEN, OR THE SENIOR BUILDING, THE MAX CENTER, THE YMCA.
FROM THERE ALL THE WAY TO THE MAINTENANCE BUILDING AND UP ALMOST TO THE SKATE PARK, THAT PORTION OF THE 5K WOULD BE REMOVED AND THEN TURNED NORTH TO GO THROUGH THE AMPHITHEATER AND BY THE POND UP TO NEW ADJACENT PARKING.
AND THEN WRAPPING AROUND THE NATURAL AREAS, UH, RECONNECTING BACK TO ITSELF ON THE FAR EAST SIDE OF THE SITE.
UH, THIS REMOVES THREE TRAFFIC, UM, OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, DANGER, IMPROVING THE SAFETY, AS WELL AS TYING IN A BUNCH OF MINIS THAT PEOPLE HAD ACTUALLY LOST AT THE SITE, INCLUDING THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING MEMORIAL.
UM, AGAIN, THROUGH THIS NATURE, KIND OF DROVE THE, UM, THE SHOW.
SO AS PEOPLE MENTIONED THROUGH HERE, THEY REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE IMPROVEMENTS OF NATURAL HABITAT, UM, MONARCH BUTTERFLIES, UM, ADDITIONAL WILDLIFE, AND REALLY IMPROVEMENTS ON THE TRAILS THROUGH THESE SPACES ALONG WITH AN OVERLOOK SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE SOME BIRD WATCHING OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, AS WE, UM, SPOKE ABOUT ON THAT NORTHWEST CORNER, THIS WAS REALLY WHERE THE KIND OF CONTINGENCY WAS, WHAT DO WE DO WITH THIS LARGE OPEN FIELD SPACE? UM, IT REALLY KIND OF, UH, WENT BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE MULTI, UM, TURF FIELDS AND REALLY FLEXIBLE OPEN, UM, LAWN SPACE.
I ENDED UP COMING BACK ABOUT 60 TO 65% THAT WOULD REALLY LIKE FOR IT TO BE STILL A FLEXIBLE SPACE, UM, ALLOWING FOR PRACTICE FIELDS AND REALLY MORE FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT ALONG WITH THIS KIND OF OPEN AIR, UM, LOOP INSTEAD OF GOING INTO THE WOODS SO THAT, UM, IN THE WINTER HOLIDAYS OR IN THE WINTER MONTHS WHEN IT DOES GET DARK, YOU HAVE A PLACE TO WALK AROUND AND, UH, FEEL SAFE.
[02:35:01]
WITH ALL THESE SPACES, UM, KIND OF THOSE SECONDARY ITEMS HAVE BEEN LEFT AND DESIGNED SO THAT, UM, AS THINGS MOVE FORWARD, IF FOR SOME REASON, UH, THE FUNDING OR THE PERSONALITY AND, AND THE MINDSET OF THE PUBLIC CHAINS, THOSE PLACES WERE HELD FOR FUTURE, UM, OPPORTUNITIES.UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WAS REALLY, UM, BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION WAS DISC GOLF.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE, UH, 36 HOLE LOCATIONS, BUT ONLY 18 BASKETS.
SO IMPROVING THAT TO HAVE 18 ADDITIONAL BASKETS SO THAT THE PLAY COULD, UM, BE MORE DIVERSE AS WELL AS KIND OF EASE THE STRAIN ON CURRENT MAINTENANCE STAFF TO HAVE TO MOVE THOSE AROUND.
UM, THIS ALLOWS PEOPLE TO PLAY MULTIPLE ROUNDS WITHIN A DAY AND HAVE A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE ALONG WITH THAT.
UM, CREATING MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH TO PLAY, UM, CREATING, UM, YOUTH TEE BOXES FURTHER UP ON EACH HOLE SO THAT THAT EXPERIENCE CAN BE, UM, SHARED AND BROUGHT IN AT A YOUNGER AGE.
UM, WITH THE BASEBALL FIELD CURRENTLY, A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL THAT IT'S UNDER PARED, EVEN THOUGH, UM, WE DO FEEL THAT AS THE CURRENT FACILITIES THAT, THAT ARE BEING BUILT IN EDMOND, UM, DO TAKE SOME OF THAT STRESS OFF, THAT THAT ISSUE WILL BE RESOLVED.
UM, BUT STILL THE MAIN PARENT CONCERN WAS AS WE LEAVE THIS PARKING LOT AND GO TO BASEBALL, UM, THE MAIN FAR THROUGH TO THE YMCA ET CETERA GOES RIGHT IN FRONT OF WHERE WE, UM, TRY TO GET OUR KIDS ACROSS.
AND IT CREATED A, A SAFETY HAZARD RIGHT IN BETWEEN WHERE THE BATHROOMS ARE IN THE PARKING LOT.
UM, SO TO ADDRESS THAT, AGAIN, REALLY TRYING TO RECONNECT EVERYTHING.
UM, THE DRIVE AISLE WOULD THEN TURN SOUTH, GO BY THE LITTLE SMALL, UM, PUBLIC LIBRARY ALONG THE BASKETBALL COURTS AND UP AROUND THE HOCKEY RING, FREEING UP THAT SAFETY ZONE FOR PARKING.
UM, AND THEN RIGHT IN FRONT WHERE YOU SEE IN BROWN WOULD BE A BALLARD LOCATION FOR A PEDESTRIAN SAFE ZONE, UM, FOR FUTURE, UM, FOOD TRUCK ALLEY AND KIND OF THAT ENGAGEMENT INTO A SAFE SPACE.
UM, AS WE LOOK AGAIN WITH THAT 5K TRAIL MOVING NORTH, UM, AFTER IT GOES, UM, PAST THE POND, BOTH THE POND AND THE AMPHITHEATER, ONE OF THE, WERE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT A LOT OF CITIZENS DIDN'T EVEN KNOW EXISTED.
SO REALLY TRYING TO REENGAGE THOSE SPACES, MAKING THE FIVE KA TRUE 5K, SO YOU CAN HAVE EITHER A 5K OR A 10 K RACE, STARTING AND STOPPING AT THE SAME POINT, ALLOWING THIS AMPHITHEATER TO REALLY REENGAGE, UH, MOVING THE FARMER'S MARKET FROM IN FRONT OF THE MAC BUILDING TO BEHIND.
SO THEN VENDORS CAN BE, UM, LEASING SPACES FOR THOSE 5K RUNNING EVENTS.
AND REALLY KIND OF TYING ALL THOSE ACTIVITIES TOGETHER, UM, THAT WAY FIVE KS, UM, COULD HAVE ROCK AND ROLL EVENTS, ET CETERA, THAT ARE ALL TIED INTO THAT AMPHITHEATER.
CREATING FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UM, THE CENTER ITSELF, UM, UNANIMOUSLY ON BOTH OPTIONS, UM, RE-ENGAGING THIS POND TO HAVE, UH, KAYAK LAUNCHING POINTS AND YOUTH FISHING DOCKS WITH IMPROVED HABITAT, UM, WAS BY FAR ONE OF THE TOP THREE THINGS MENTIONED.
UM, BOTH IN OUR SURVEYS AND UM, IN OUR RESPONSES ON OUR CONCEPTS.
UM, AS YOU LOOK IN THAT SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE ENTIRE SITE, UM, THE MAINTENANCE BUILDING IN THAT CURRENT OIL STATION, UM, IS KIND OF AN EYESORE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE, UM, MASSIVE COMMERCIAL RETAIL THAT'S VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THAT SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE PARK, UM, PARK ADJACENT.
SO REALLY LOOKING AS THAT 5K MOVES OUT OF THERE, YOU'RE FREEING UP A LOT OF SPACE TO THEN CREATE, UM, BOTH THIS PRIVACY SECURITY FENCE TO HELP, UM, KEEP THE CHILDREN OUT OF THE MAINTENANCE AREA, PROVIDE ADDITIONAL MATERIAL BASE TO KEEP IT ON SITE, AND THEN HAVE A BEAUTIFICATION EFFORT ALONG THAT CORNER TO REALLY HELP, UM, DRIVE THOSE EFFORTS.
AND THE LOOK OF THE PARK AS A WHOLE.
AND THEN IN THE NORTHEAST CORNER WHERE THE SKATE PARK IS, UM, KIND OF THE, THE VERBIAGE WAS THAT, UM, THE SKATE PARK, WHETHER IT DID OR NOT, UM, WAS KIND OF AN EYESORE AND A, A PLACE OF POSSIBLE, UM, JUST CONFLICT.
SO TO HELP BALANCE THAT OUT, UM, THERE'S OPTIONS FOR A DOG PARK TO GO INTO THIS SPACE AS THE DEVELOPMENTS NORTH OF THE PARK START TO, TO BUILD FOR A DOG PARK LOCATION.
UM, AND A PLACE FOR A CHUCKET, ESSENTIALLY BALANCING OUT THOSE USERS AND CREATING A, A, A BALANCED SYSTEM BACK THERE.
AND THEN THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PARK REALLY CONNECTIVITY WAS THE BIG DEAL.
UM, AS WE WENT TOWARD ALMOST EVERY SINGLE TIME, MOST PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WALK IN SIDEWALKS.
UH, WE'RE WALKING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WITH STROLLERS AND HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THAT? SO REALLY THE CONNECTIVITY THROUGHOUT THE PARK, IMPROVING SIDEWALKS, CROSSWALKS, UM, CONNECTION POINTS, UM, REALLY WERE OUR TOP ON EVERYBODY'S LIST.
MAINLY JUST FROM A OVERALL USABILITY.
WE HAVE THREE INCREDIBLE INCLUSIVE ZONES.
WE'VE GOT A MIRACLE FIELD, AN AMBU, UM, STATION, AND THEN THE YMCA ITSELF, BUT REALLY NO CONNECTIVITY WITHIN THOSE SPACES.
UM, SO IT'S HARD TO CALL 'EM INCLUSIVE WHEN YOU DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE ACCESS TO THEM.
UM, ALONG WITH THE PLAYGROUND ITSELF, UM, THAT'S INCLUSIVE, IT'S JUST OUT OF DATE AND IT STANDARDS, AND IT HAS A SOFT MATERIAL BELOW.
[02:40:01]
YOU CAN GET UP TO THE TOP WHEN A WHEELCHAIR, ONCE YOU GET DOWN YOUR, YOU'RE STUCK AND IN A POSITION THAT, UM, IT'S NOT REALLY INCLUSIVE.SO LOOKING AT ALL THOSE THINGS REALLY TO, UH, PROMOTE SAFETY, IMPROVE CONNECTIVITY, AND THEN REALLY ENFORCE THAT NATURAL ELEMENT.
WHAT, UM, ALONG WITH THAT, UM, MOST OF OUR, UM, PEOPLE THAT WE OUTREACH TO, ESPECIALLY ON THE STAKEHOLDER SIDE, WERE JUST DYING FOR A WAY TO HELP GIVE BACK, UH, CREATE VOLUNTEER DAYS.
UM, BUT WITH A CONFLICT OF MAINTENANCE AND STAFF, HOW DO YOU DO THAT IN A WAY THAT YOU KNOW THAT THEY'RE DOING IT TO THE CODE AND THE STANDARD OF EDMOND? UM, SO WE RECOMMEND THAT THERE BE A STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM, UM, WHERE YOU COULD COME IN AND GET CERTIFIED WITH THE STAFF AND THEN BECOME A TEAM LEADER FOR FUTURE, UM, UM, WORK DAYS, ET CETERA.
UM, WITH THIS, WE'RE LOOKING AT KIND OF, SITEWIDE REALLY HAS SOME WATER ISSUES.
UM, SO REALLY WORKING INTO, UM, LID FUNCTIONS, UH, BOTH THROUGH OUR PARKING LOTS, UM, CURBSIDE ADJACENT RAIN GARDENS, ET CETERA, TO REALLY JUST SLOW THE DAMPENING OF THAT WATER VOLUME SO THAT IT CAN BE ABSORBED.
UH, WE ARE TOLD FOR MAINTENANCE THAT IT DOES ABSORB VER REALLY QUICKLY, BUT WHEN IT IS NOT BEING ABSORBED, IT'S RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF MOST PLAY.
SO REALLY JUST RETHINKING SOME OF THAT STORM WATER MANAGEMENT.
AND THEN BACK TO THE AMBUSH AREA.
REALLY MOST PEOPLE WERE SAYING THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE AN INCLUSIVE PLAY, BUT REALLY A SPACE FOR MY, MY FAMILY TO ENJOY AS A WHOLE.
UM, SO WITH THIS AREA HERE, UM, ADJACENT TO THE YMCA, GREAT FOR PARKING, BUT INCLUDES, UH, PICKLEBALL, SOME ACTIVITY GAME LAWNS, A BATHROOM, AND THEN THAT INCLUSIVE PLAY ALL WITHIN AN AREA SO THAT A FAMILY CAN SIT THERE AND, AND ALL AGES ENJOY.
AND THEN AGAIN, THE STEWARDSHIP.
UM, SAY WHAT AGAIN? I'M SORRY.
THE ABU PART? YEAH, SO THE ABU PLAYGROUND THERE, UM, IS, UM, AN OLDER PLAYGROUND THAT WAS INTENDED.
YEAH, I MEAN, IT NEEDS SOME WORK.
UM, POURING PLACE, SURFACING ADDITIONAL MODIFICATION OF THE EQUIPMENT AND EXPANSION OVERALL.
UM, AND THEN TEARING IT DOWN THAT HILL SO THAT THERE'S, UM, KIND OF A, A SECTION OF, OF DIFFERENT PLAY ELEMENTS, UH, ALONG WITH THAT FENCING ALONG THAT NORTH EDGE.
WE HAD A LOT OF PARENTS COMPLAIN THAT, UM, KIDS WOULD RUN DOWN THE HILL, THEN THERE WAS NO WAY TO RETRIEVE THEM BACK, UM, AS A PARENT.
SO, UM, REALLY JUST THINKING OVERALL OF INCLUSIVITY AGAIN, UM, SURFACING WAS A BIG ISSUE WITH IT.
I THINK A LOT OF THE PLAY ELEMENTS ARE SOLID, BUT IT'S THE SURFACING ITSELF.
UM, SO THAT'S WHERE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE REALLY A, A COMBINATION OF, UM, CITIZEN STEWARDSHIP AND THEN SAFETY IN CONNECTION.
ANY QUESTIONS? I JUST, WELL, OF COURSE BRAD'S GONNA KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA SAY BEFORE I SAY IT, BUT SO THAT YOU CAN HEAR IT.
WE HAVE NOTHING CLOSE IN TERMS OF SIZE.
I KNOW BRAD GETS BUGGED OCCASIONALLY.
EDMUND LACROSSE, WE SEND KIDS FAMILIES, TONS OF FAMILIES OVERFILLED SCORE WEST OF DEER CREEK SCHOOLS FOR OUR KIDS TO PLAY FLAG FOOTBALL.
AND, AND I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE US TO LOOK HARD AT THAT FLEX FIELD AREA.
IT TAKES THREE FIELDS, WHAT ARE THEY, 80 BY 40? THEY'RE NOT FULL SIZE FOOTBALL FIELDS.
UH, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HOST, FOR PEOPLE TO STAY IN EDMOND FOR THEIR KIDS.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S PACKED WITH THE NUMBER OF EDMOND FAMILIES THAT GO OUT TO MERIDIAN AND SOUTH OF SECOND STREET.
SO I, I MEAN, I JUST THINK THAT'S A REAL NEED AND, BUT, BUT INSTEAD WE'RE, I MEAN, IT'S PROBABLY JUST ME.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND SAY IT.
WE GOT 36 HOLES WHERE WE'RE PLAYING FRISBEE GOLF.
THE, I MEAN, THE DISC GOLF PLAYERS OF THE WORLD, ME INCLUDED, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND THAT'S NOT THAT BIG IN OF AN INVESTMENT TO ADD 18 MORE BASKET.
EIGHTEENS ENOUGH, EIGHTEEN'S ENOUGH.
SO ANYWAY, THAT'S MY, I I THINK THE BIO RETENTION PONDS AND THAT, THAT PART OF IT AND, AND THE BASEBALL REDO.
BRAD AND I, WE'VE WALKED THAT.
I MEAN, IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPROVED, UH, WHAT IT USED TO BE, BUT, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHERE ELSE WE'D FIND IT, BUT, BUT WE NEED TO FIND A SPACE FOR THREE FIELDS THAT, UM, IN THAT NORTHWEST CORNER SOMEWHERE.
AND AGAIN, JUST FROM THE DATA THAT WE HAD, IT WAS VERY CLOSE.
WE HAD ABOUT 40% WANTING THE FIELDS, AND WE DID HAVE THAT IN AN OPTION WHERE WE WERE REALLY SHOWING THAT AS A AHEAD AND, AND REALLY A GREAT COMPLEX.
UM, SO I THINK THAT US HOLDING A, A SPACE FOR IT JUST SO YOU DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO EXPAND OUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WAS PLANNED THAT
[02:45:01]
WAY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT IN THE FUTURE.I THINK CONFIGURING THAT AREA FOR, LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FLAG FOOTBALL, LACROSSE, THAT'S A MUCH BETTER IDEA THAN TRYING TO GO TOO BIG WITH THE FLEX FIELD CONCEPT TO ALLOW FOR SOCCER.
WE'VE ALREADY GOT AN ENTIRE SOCCER COMPLEX, AND IF WE MAKE THAT LAYOUT LOOK LIKE IT'S A SOCCER FIELD, THERE'S GONNA BE SOCCER TEAMS OUT THERE TRYING TO USE IT ALL THE TIME.
AND I'M NOT AGAINST SOCCER EITHER, DON'T GET ME WRONG.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT WE'VE GOT OTHER SPORTS THAT ARE WANTING A PLACE TO PLAY.
WHAT IS A VENDING LIBRARY? SO THAT'S AN ELECTRONIC LIBRARY THAT IS CURRENTLY THERE WHERE YOU CAN PUSH A NUMBER IN FOR THE BOOK THAT'S ON FILE, OR YOU REQUEST IT AND IT COMES OUT.
AND SO YOU CAN, IT'S A PERSONLESS LIBRARY.
A WHAT, UH, PERSON FREE LIBRARY.
YOU ACTUALLY CAN RE REQUEST A BOOK AND IT'LL GO ON FILE AND THEN YOU CAN GO IN AND PUNCH IN A CODE AND IT GIVES YOU YOUR BOOK.
WELL, IT'S LIKE A BOOK MOBILE, BUT NO MOBILE.
WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT REDIRECTING THE ROAD TO, TO GET THERE.
I HAD ONE COMMENT RELATED TO WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, ON CIP BACK IN 2023, WE, WHEN I WAS ON THAT BOARD, WE HEARD A STUDY FROM VICTUS, WERE YOU HERE FOR THAT? BRAD? OKAY.
AND ONE OF THE MAJOR FINDINGS FROM THAT, IT WAS, I WAS ON A STUDY ON SPORTS TOURISM AND ONE OF THE MAJOR FINDINGS WAS LACK OF RECTANGULAR FIELDS AND, UH, NOT SOCCER, BUT LACROSSE AND FLAG FOOTBALL.
I THINK, I THINK WE PROBABLY NEED TO, I DON'T KNOW IF WE UPDATE THE PLAN, BUT I'M A LITTLE HESITANT TO GO FORWARD WITH A PLAN THAT PRECLUDES THAT.
UM, WHICH I THINK THAT THE DESIGN ON THE OPEN FIELD KIND OF DID.
SO I THINK I'D PREFER WE LEAVE THAT BIG ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, NOT, NOT CONCRETED IN AND SCULPT AND, UH, FEATURE PLANNED IN TO PRECLUDE HOWEVER MANY FIELDS WE, YOU KNOW, THAT STUDY SAID THAT WE NEED TO, TO MAINTAIN, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANY OTHER CITY OWNED LAND IS KINDA WHAT HE WAS SAYING IN THAT AREA OF THE CITY TO SUPPORT RECTANGULAR FIELDS, SOME STUFF OUT EAST.
BUT, AND I THINK IF YOU WERE TO CHANGE IT OUTSIDE OF THE SOCCER COMPLEXES, YOU MAY HAVE ENOUGH SPACE.
AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT TOO.
I, I REALLY LIKE HOW YOU GUYS DID PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ON THIS ONE.
UH, I WAS AT LUMINANCE, SAW THE TABLE, SAW THE TABLE A FEW TIMES, WENT TO THE WEBSITE, SAW THE CONCEPTS, SAW THE WAY PEOPLE WERE PROVIDING INPUT.
I PROVIDED INPUT AND HOW THAT WAS PUT ON, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA AND ALL THAT.
IT'S A REALLY GOOD JOB, STAFF TEAM AND YOU GUYS ON HOW YOU SOLICITED AND INPUT ON THAT.
I THINK IT WAS A, A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW TO DO THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[E. Discussion and Consideration of Approval of the 2026 City Council Strategic Plan. (Citywide)]
TO ITEM 12 E DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF THE 2026 CITY COUNCIL STRATEGIC PLAN.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
JANE ROBERTSON, MANAGEMENT SERVICES MANAGER.
AS A REMINDER, ON THE FEBRUARY 23RD CITY COUNCIL MEETING, UH, YOU ALL VIEWED A VERSION OF THE COUNCIL STRATEGIC PLAN.
YOU HAD SOME EDITS AND CHANGES YOU WANTED TO SEE MADE TO THAT.
SO STAFF HAS MADE THOSE AND WE'RE BRINGING THE PLAN BACK FOR YOUR APPROVAL TONIGHT.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THE CHANGES WE MADE? THE ONLY COMMENT I HAVE IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON TOP LEVEL METRICS.
UM, I THINK WE'RE ALMOST THERE.
UM, WE GOT A LOT OF INPUT FROM THE COUNCIL AND WE SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO PROVIDE TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE HERE IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO.
UM, AS WELL AS A POSSIBLE FORMAT FOR A, A PROGRESS REPORT TO USE, NOT JUST ON THOSE METRICS, BUT ON THE ENTIRE PLAN AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I THOUGHT THE RED LINES LOOKED GOOD.
UM, THERE ARE THREE TOPICS I THINK THAT WE NEED TO QUEUE UP FOR WORKSHOPS SOON.
THINGS THAT WE PUT IN HERE THAT I FEEL LIKE ARE DECENTLY HIGH PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVEN'T TAKEN MUCH ACTION ON YET.
NUMBER ONE IS COMMUNITY IMAGE.
AND AJ AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT.
I'D LIKE TO SEE A WORKSHOP OR A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS ON HOW WE CAN DEAL WITH SOME OF THE THINGS AROUND THAT THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
UM, I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER ON.
[02:50:01]
WAYS THAT WE CAN DEAL WITH THINGS THAT AREN'T MEETING OUR STANDARDS OF COMMUNITY IMAGE.NOT FOR METRICS, BUT IT'S GOOD.
UM, AND THEN IMPACT FEES AND DOWNTOWN PROPERTIES.
THE FIRST ONE'S IS MY BIGGEST PRIORITY RIGHT NOW.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THANK YOU, JANE, FOR ALL THE WORK ON THIS.
THOSE THREE ITEMS. UH, MS. ROBERTSON? YES SIR.
ARE YOU GONNA LET HER SIT DOWN NOW AND THEN, AND THEN MR. FRAME WILL ASK HER TO COME BACK UP.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO? WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCEPT THIS? APPROVE IT.
[13. Executive Sessions and Action Items:]
NOW ON TO ITEM 13, EXECUTIVE SESSION.AND ACTION ITEMS. I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
MAYOR, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND CAST YOUR VOTE.
MR. MAYOR, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO COME OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND CAST YOUR VOTE.
SO I GUESS WE'RE ON ITEM 13 C.
CONSIDERATION OF ACTION WITH REGARD TO THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE CITY ATTORNEY.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE A MOTION I MOVE TO SET THE COMPENSATION FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY AT GRADE 32, STEP FOUR.
I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND CAST.
[14. Comments from the Mayor and Members of the City Council.]
14 COMMENTS FROM THE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.MR. MAYOR, I HAVE A REAL QUICK ONE.
IT'S NOT MY COMMENT, IT'S A COMMENT FROM THE CITIZEN THAT ASKED ME TO, UH, OFFER THIS.
HE FAILED TO SIGN UP FOR CITIZEN'S.
UH, HE SAID I JUST WANNA THANK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I JUST WANT TO THANK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE MAYOR FOR HELPING WORK ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF EDMOND ON GETTING THINGS MOVING ALONG WITH ARCADIA AND THE INSURANCE RATE.
THANK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATING THE EDMOND BOARD OF REALTORS.
ANYONE ELSE? IT'S LATE AND I WANT TO GO HOME.
MR. MAYOR, I'D MOVE TO ADJOURN.